Blazing Heart
by ChristyLee23
Summary: This is a Bethyl story that picks up from the MSF.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello everyone! I am new to TWD and also new to FF. I dove into it head first though and I am hoping that you will enjoy where I plan to go with this story. It will definitely be a Bethyl story. Let me know what you think. **

Daryl stepped slowly out into the bright light outside the stairwell door. As heavy as Beth's lifeless body was in his arms, his heart was a million times heavier in his chest. Almost took the breath right outta him. All this time he spent searchin' for this girl, this woman, he had figured out too late that he was in love with her. And now she was gone.

Just like she had told him that night at the shack. She had been right, 'bout him missin' her. He did, and it burned in his body like hell fire. Hurt worse than anythin' he had ever felt before in his life. Even more than when he had to put down his own brother. As much as he wanted his brother back, he knew the world didn't lose anything when they lost Merle. But sweet, pure, innocent Beth? No, that bitch of a cop may as well have shot the damn sun right outta the sky. He sure as hell knew the light was gone outta his life along with her.

Then he came up on Maggie and the others, watching as she collapsed to the ground in hysterics. He walked over to where she sat in a crumpled heap on the ground. He fell to his knees right there in front of her, lowering Beth's limp figure into her sister's arms. He never wanted to let her go, but he knew it was only right to give Maggie that moment. Besides, he knew he couldn't hold back any longer and he couldn't let the rest of the group see him break. Nobody could see that part of him. Nobody ever had. Nobody 'cept Beth.

Ducking quickly away from the crowd, behind a couple of cars, he crumbled. Almost the same way Maggie had done at the sight of him carrying her sister. He sat there and just sobbed, head in his hands, knowing that she was gone. Agony like he had never experience before gripped him and wouldn't let go and he knew it never would. Life without her wouldn't be much worth living.

Though he also knew that he could never just give up, she wouldn't have wanted that for him. She believed he would be the "last man standing" and he knew the best thing he could do for her now was to prove it. He'd fight with every damned thing this piece of shit world threw at him 'cause he needed to do whatever it would take to become the man that girl believed he was or could be.

Just then he heard the distinct sound of walkers somewhere close by. He quickly snapped back into survival mode as it was much like second nature to him by now. He scanned the area around him as he closed the short distance he had put between him and the others. They were all back on high alert too. There was a pretty sizable herd heading in their direction just a short distance away. It was time to go. In this world now, they didn't have the luxury to just sit and grieve. They had to keep on the move. He glanced over to where he had left her with Maggie and he was glad to see Glenn had already scooped her up was carrying her towards some cars they had parked nearby. They all split instinctively into smaller groups to fit into the cars. Much as he would rather have been in the car with Beth there was no time to shuffle around with seating arrangements. And just like that they were off. Life back out on the road seemed like the only life they knew nowadays.

Rick drove along searching for a shelter for the night, the silence only broken by the now quieter sobbing of Maggie. Glenn sat helplessly beside her wishing with all he had that he could take her pain away and knowing that he couldn't.

Just then, the car started shaking wildly, making a loud thumping sound. "Really?!" Rick thought as he eased the car to a stop and honked the horn once, briefly, to alert the rest of their convoy in front of him.

A flat tire! This was going to slow them down majorly. No way all of them could fit in two cars. They were gonna have to bunk down here for the night, much as they hated it. None of them liked the idea but they didn't have much of a choice in the matter. This was the hand they were dealt at the moment and they would make the best of it, just like they always had.

They had spread out over the wooded area by the road to try to find a decent place to make camp. Glenn and Rick had gone to scope out the perimeter, Michonne and Carl to look for any game they could find to eat. Everyone had their jobs they were doing. Maggie sat on the roadside by the car where her sister lay motionless. She still hadn't been able to get herself together enough be helpful to anyone, and they all understood and left her there to give her some space.

Daryl sauntered off on his own needing air but finding none. Nobody had really paid him much mind, and that was fine with him. He just wanted to be alone. He had spent the long ride away from Atlanta inside his own head. Thinkin' 'bout the things he had just seen and been helpless to stop them. Wrackin' his brain with the "what if" questions.

What if he had been the one to go exchange for Beth, instead of Rick. It shoulda been him. He had searched for her so long before they got there. Why didn't he just run and grab her up in his arms like he had wanted to? Maybe that woulda stopped what happened after. Damn it all! It shoulda been him and he was kickin' his own ass for letting what the group might think about him grabbin' her up in his arms stop him. He coulda kept that bitch from doin' it, from what she did to Beth.

In that instant his grief and self-loathing morphed into anger, so red hot that when it washed over his body he felt like he just might burn alive. His blood was boiling at the thought of that place, that god-awful hospital that had kept his girl away from him for so long. The pressure in him built up to the point that he had to release some of it or he just may explode right there where he stood. He dropped down in front of a fallen tree that he had happened upon while he wandered through the woods. He let go and started swingin' punches, beatin' the shit outta that log really. That did nothin' to stave off the rage that was growin' inside of him though. He didn't really know what would at this point. Nothin' was gonna bring Beth back to him, nothin' was gonna let him tell her that it was her that changed his mind about people. That she was everything good in his life and that he….well he loved her. He loved Beth Greene. And now she was gone. He knew he'd never get to tell her or show her.

A darkness washed over his eyes and down into his face. He knew exactly what he needed to do. It hadn't been that psycho bitch Dawn that had kept Beth hostage in that hospital all by herself. There was still a bunch of them there that had helped her or at the very least, stood by and let it happen and to him, that made them just as guilty for what he was feeling right now.

He jumped to his feet, grabbin' his crossbow and slingin' it over his shoulder. He headed back in the direction they had come from without sayin' a word to anyone. He didn't want the group to try an' talk him down or worse, try to come with him. He couldn't put them in harm's way, not on purpose.

Besides, this was his mission. He was goin' back to that hospital and he was gonna kill every last sumbitch in that place before he burned it to the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

**Blazing Heart**

**Chapter 2**

The daylight had slipped well into the darkness of the night by the time they had their camp established. They were all gathered around a small fire cooking several squirrels and rabbits that Carl and Michonne had been able to kill. The mood was somber, as it usually was for a while after they had lost one of their family.

Rick noticed that Daryl was still not back at camp. He had half expected him to be off somewhere on his own anyway. He had seen the pain in Daryl's eyes from the moment Dawn had shot Beth, though he didn't think the rest of the family had picked up on it. It was a pain he knew very well himself. It was the hurt of losing someone without having told them just how much they mean to you. Rick had been there after losing Lori. Things had been so tense between them that he could hardly even stand to look at her. He regretted that more than anything because, as mad as he was for what she had done, he still loved her with all his heart. So when he saw that look and that indescribable pain in Daryl's eyes, he knew the group was going to have to give Daryl his space to grieve for Beth. The same as they had done for him with Lori.

Maggie hadn't been able to bring herself to leave her sister's side since the car had broken down earlier that day. She couldn't believe that her sister was actually gone. She felt a twinge on guilt over the fact that when they had lost the prison, and everyone had gotten split up, that she was only worried about finding Glenn. She had failed her sister and she had failed her father. She didn't know if she could ever forgive herself for that.

Glenn had gotten up from the fire to go check on Maggie again. He had tried sitting with her, but she really just wanted to be alone. As he neared the clearing that lead to the roadside, he heard a blood-curdling scream. His heart sank to his feet, it was Maggie! He ran to her, paying little attention to the herd that was creeping down the road towards them. When he rounded the side of the car, one of the walkers had her pinned to the ground.

She was fighting her hardest to hold it off. She had been so focused on her pain that it had snuck up on her before she could draw her knife.

The rest of the family had run to check things out after they heard the scream. When they reached the road, the herd Glenn had missed was almost on them. There was no way they could kill them all, there was at least 40 in the herd.

"We've gotta MOVE!" Rick shouted to everyone.

Cramming all of them into the two vehicles that were still functional was not what they had planned to do, but right now it was their only option.

Everybody scrambled in that direction, getting in as fast as they could while Michonne, Rick, Abraham and Tyreese held off as many walkers as they could.

Glenn had to almost throw Maggie over his shoulder and force her into one of the cars. She still didn't want to leave Beth.

She had gotten away from him just long enough to kiss her sister on the cheek and shut the door of the broken down car so the walkers couldn't get to her body.

And just like that they were off again, everyone riding along in silence.

Just as the sun started to peak up over the horizon, a truck stopped right in the middle of the road. Morgan stepped out, stretching his legs, peering around checking for any walkers that might be milling about. He had come up on a car that had a blown out tire. Based on all the walkers he saw lying around, he figured whoever was driving it had probably left in a hurry. There was a chance they had left some food or something useful.

He popped the front door open and began rummaging through the glove box and the floor board.

Then a low groan came from the backseat. He lifted his knife and peeked between the seats. There was a young blond girl covered in blood. Fearing that she had just turned, he reached over her head with the hand he was clutching the knife in. Just before he plunged it into her brain to finish her off, a very weak, and shaky "Help me" escaped her lips.

She was alive but just barely. Morgan moved to the back of the car and scooped her up in his arms. He had seen a hospital when he made his way through Atlanta and there were several cops moving in and out of it. He thought they must have been holed up in there after the turn. They would have to be able to help her. He didn't even know if she would make it but he felt like her best chance would be at that hospital. He couldn't just leave her to die; he had to get her there.

He gently loaded her into his truck before he whipped it around and to head back in the direction he had come from.

**AN: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited my story. It means a lot to me that ya'll like it so far. Also thank you to Hearts1989 for Beta reading for me and giving me the nudge to post it. **

**This chapter is mainly to further my storyline. There will be more to come soon and as I've said before, this will be a Bethyl story. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Blazing Heart**

**Chapter 3**

Daryl had trekked through the woods for most of the evening and night after he left the group. He finally allowed himself to stop when he came across a small shack in the middle of the woods. He knew if he was gonna storm that shit hole of a hospital, he'd better at least try to rest and come up with a plan.

His rage, though it was undeniably still there, had given way to the hurt that lay square in the middle of his chest.

He kept hearing Beth's sweet voice saying, "You're gonna miss me so bad when I'm gone Daryl Dixon."

He had known when she said it that it was true, but he had no idea just how horrible that feeling would be. He had never missed someone so much in his entire life, not even his asshole of a brother.

O' course he had loved his brother. At least what he had thought was love, before he got to know Beth. But he had never been able to open himself up to anyone before her. He learned early on in life that if he was gonna survive his father and Merle, that he better tuck that feelings shit aside. It was different with her though, that bright smile and unwavering hope she had, it had gotten to him. She broke him down into a weeping pile of weakness and then built him right back up, stronger than before, with just a hug.

He could still feel that hug. He could still hear her voice. He knew he probably always would.

"BETH!"

Daryl jolted himself awake screaming her name. He had dreamed back to that night when she was taken. He could see her face so clearly, she was right in front of him but he just couldn't reach her. No matter how hard he ran or how far he reached, he just couldn't hold on.

His body must have just shut down from the emotional stress he was under, because he didn't remember going to sleep.

The rest hadn't done anything for his emotional state but, his body had needed it. He would need to be in the best shape he possibly could be before he entered the hospital. He would also need some sort of plan. He pushed the thought of her to the back of his mind, at least the best that he could at the moment.

He knew from when they had gone in for the exchange that the cops had a pass code to get in that one stairwell. From the way they talked, that was the only way in or out.

He also knew from Noah that Beth had helped him escape through an elevator shaft. She'd had to steal a key to get through though. So that wasn't gonna be his best option.

Oh Beth, she was smarter and stronger that most people gave her credit for. Hell, up until he'd been alone with her, he had thought she was weak too.

Guilt washed over him as he thought back to when they first escaped the prison together. He would have rather been alone than stuck with a sobbing female that he was gonna have to take care of. He wished he could just go back and smack some sense into himself. He would give anything to have that time back now, to enjoy her company instead of dreading it.

"Get it together Dixon!" he told himself. "Ya gotta figure out how ya gonna get into that hell hole to make them fuckers pay for robbing you of any more time with her."

So he thought about it and decided on his best option. He got up and stretched a little, his muscles had stiffened from sleeping sitting up against the door of the shack.

He threw his crossbow up over his shoulder and walked outside.

It was daylight now and by the position of the sun in the sky, he figured it to be about midday. He needed to get moving.

**AN: Thank you all again for following this story. This chapter was a little short but the next part of the story needed to stand on its own. I'll have it up very soon. I hope you won't be disappointed! **


	4. Chapter 4

Blazing Heart

Chapter 4

Her eyes fluttered open and closed, trying to adjust to the bright light shining right above her face.

She started to sit up but a sharp, shooting pain struck her in the head. She reached up to try and feel what might have been causing that pain but someone grabbed her wrist to stop her.

A man's voice said, "You don't want to do touch that."

She turned and blinked to focus her eyes in the direction the voice had come from. There was a tall, thin man with dark rimmed glasses. He was wearing a white lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck. He was looking at a big bag of I.V. fluid. She knew he musta been a doctor.

"What is your name?" he asked.

She thought about, thought hard actually. She just drew a blank.

"I, um, I'm not sure" she squeaked out. Her voice was weak and cracked a little.

The man looked at her with his eyes as big as fifty-cent pieces. He dropped the I.V. tubing he had been fidgeting with and turned to face her completely.

"You, uh, you don't know who you are?!" he blurted out.

She could see the shock on his face and maybe a tiny since of relief. Though she didn't really know why that would be.

"No sir. I don't think I do" she replied.

"Do you, umm, do you know where you are?" he pressed.

"Well, I would guess that I'm in a hospital but I ain't real sure why. What happened to me?" she asked. The starred at him intently.

"First of all, I'm Dr. Edwards. You were shot in the head. It is a miracle that you survived really. You got caught in some crossfire when a group of survivors were aiming to kill a bunch of rotters. If we hadn't saved you, you would be one of them by now."

He paused for a short while, and then he added, "You are a very lucky girl."

She took several minutes to process what this doctor had just said to her. She had been shot in the head! She had survived that!

"Thank you" she said, breaking the silence that had filled the room while she thought. "But can you tell me what a rotter is?"

"You don't remember anything do you?" he asked her.

She slightly shook her head no.

The doctor had explained everything to her. How a virus or something had started infecting people. How when they died, their bodies came back with a hunger for living flesh.

She didn't believe him at first. She thought the man had gone mad. She thought he was crazy until he had helped her get outta bed and taken her see for herself.

He took a piece of metal and rattled it against a big metal vent thing making a sound that made her head throb. It only took a couple of seconds before she saw them. The looked like people with their skin rotting off of their bodies. They reached their arms, the one that had arms anyway, through the metal grate trying to reach them.

Her heart had almost popped right outta her chest it scared her so bad. She couldn't get back up to her room fast enough.

She hugged Dr. Edwards and thanked him again for saving her life. She didn't feel like she could thank him enough. She was safe here and she was going to do what she could to help out. Nothing she could do would repay what they had done for her, but she vowed she would try her best to show them she appreciated it.

She spent the next couple of days helping cook and serve meals, washing and folding the laundry and sweeping to help keep the halls clean.

The cops and other patients had taken to calling her Anna. She didn't mind it much but she still tried her best to remember who she really was when she laid in bed at night.

It bothered her a little that she couldn't remember, but things here weren't so bad, so she wasn't complaining. She knew she was in a place that would keep her safe and give her time to heal. Besides, she wouldn't know how to survive out in the world the way it was now.

But she kept the hope that her memory would return to her one day. It would be nice to at least know where she had come from before the world fell apart.

**AN: Oh you guys! Beth is back…well sort of. I know if she doesn't remember anything that means she doesn't remember all those sweet moments with Daryl right? Well just trust me that things will get better with this story. I have a plot in my head for how this plays out already, at least for a few more chapters. I hope you are enjoying figuring out how things are going. Stick with me though; I believe it will be worth it!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Blazing Heart**

**Chapter 5**

It had taken him a couple of days to get back to Atlanta on foot. Hadn't helped that he had run up on a small herd on the way. He had barely gotten outta that one. He figured it musta been Beth looking out for him. He could just see her luminous smile everywhere he looked and he knew he had to take care of that horrible place that had ripped her right out from in front of him.

Daryl had sorta accepted the fact that she was always gonna be on his mind. He had spent the time he had been walking with his mind bouncing between what he wanted to do to those sorry ass excuses of cops and doctors, and the constant heaviness in his chest of knowing Beth would never know how he loved her.

That ate at him more than anything. He wasn't completely sure that she felt the same way about him. Sure she cared, but he didn't see how he would be lucky enough to have someone as great as her to love him. Hell he didn't know that anyone could love him; he never had nobody in his life that did.

But he felt like she deserved to know that he loved her. She should know that it was her that had changed his mind about people. She just deserved to know that she had somebody in this fucked up world that would give anything just to be near her.

Then, just like it had been for the last couple of days, the thought of what he had lost caused the rage to bubble back up from the depths of his soul.

Daryl had set up in a building across from the hospital. He had decided that his best chance of getting into that place would be the stairwell that the officers had taken them up for the exchange. He wasn't sure at first just how that would work. They had been so secretive with that damn code that he never saw it.

He figured the only way he was gonna get that code would be to take a page outta Tyreese's book and capture one of them. Course he wasn't planning on a damn trade, none of those fuckers were gonna make it outta this alive. Not if he could help it.

It took him a while to get any of them in a position that he could get to them without ending up with two guns trained on him. He waited til they had stopped their car and gotten out to check out the noises they had heard coming from one of the buildings in the city.

They were cautious at first but then they had drifted apart just a little bit. The first one walked by the doorway he was hiding behind. Daryl let him go on ahead. Then the second one eased her way up to the opening. Within a split second he had covered her mouth and dragged her into the building.

He tied her up with some cords he had taken off some computers that were in the offices there.

The other cop heard the scuffle and came running back to check on his partner. Just as he rounded the corner, Daryl slammed the end of his crossbow into the guy's head. It knocked him out cold. He tied him up and dragged him into the same room he had left the female in.

She sat there looking terrified. Daryl remembered her. It was the same bitch they had caught the first time.

She looked at him intently and finally asked him, "What do you want with us?"

"I just need the code for that door." He said bluntly.

She laughed at him. She actually laughed.

His blood began to boil with rage. It bubbled up inside him until he saw nothing but red.

He crossed that room so fast that his hair flew back from his face. With one swift movement he lifted the male cop's head, drew his knife and slit his throat spilling dark crimson fluid all over the floor and covering the woman sitting beside them.

She shrieked in absolute horror of what she had just seen. "Holy shit!" was all she seemed to be able to get out of her mouth.

"DO YOU THINK THIS IS FUCKING FUNNY?" he growled. "DOES IT LOOK LIKE THIS IS A DAMN JOKE?!"

She had drawn back as far as she could away from him. "Please!" she begged, "I'll do whatever you want! Just tell me what you want!"

"I need the code for that fucking door. You will give it to me or I'll leave your ass in this damn room with your fucking buddy over there. Won't be long now before he turns." Daryl quipped as he used his knife to cut the cords he had restraining the man.

"Ok, ok! I'll give it to you! It's 1872." She blurted out.

"You best not be lying to me bitch!" he barked.

"I swear that's it. Now please let me go! He's turning already, I can see his fingers twitching!" she cried.

Daryl turned and started walking towards the door of the office they were in.

"HEY WAIT! I told you the code, please let me go!" she begged.

He didn't stop walking.

"Please! That girl, the one that got shot in the exchange, she's alive." She pleaded.

That froze Daryl right in his tracks.

"She's back at the hospital. If you let me take you there I can help you get her back." She bargained.

It took him several minutes to respond. That bitch kept talking but he couldn't hear a word she was saying. She was trying to use Beth to get out of this. He knew she was lying, he had seen Beth die. He knew Rick and Maggie and the family would have buried her by now.

With that thought, he continued walking out the door, jamming it closed with a chair. He listened to her yelling as he walked towards the outside of the building. Her screams morphing from pleading to excruciating pain as her partner finished turning and began devouring her alive.

Daryl made his way over to the hospital and in through the stairwell that the cops used to come in and out.

He had met another one of them on his way up to the 5th floor. He had taken him out quietly with a bolt through the eye with his crossbow.

He met the next one right at the doorway to enter the 5th floor. Daryl snuck up behind him, cutting his head almost clear off his body before driving the knife into his skull. Last thing Daryl needed was one of those fuckers turning on him and blowing his whole plan.

He continued moving stealthily down the hall, taking out anybody that he came across, peering into the rooms checking for people as he went to try to avoid someone coming out later and catching him.

He had made his way about halfway down the hall. He peered into another room as he passed.

The long blond hair caught his eye. He knew it couldn't be her but he found himself stepping into the room anyway.

Just as he crossed through the doorway, the girl turned around.

He felt his heart stop beating in his chest. His breath caught and all the color drained from his face. His knife clattered to the floor.

He didn't know how but he managed to push it out passed the lump in his throat, "BETH?!"

**AN: Oh man ya'll! This chapter took Daryl to some very dark places in his quest to avenge Beth's death. I hope that ya'll like it and trust me, it gets better. **

**Thanks again for all the reviews, favorites and follows. Please feel free to let me know what you think. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Blazing Heart**

**Chapter 6**

She stood there by her bed without moving a muscle. "Who was this man? Why had he called her Beth? Did he know her from before or did he just have her confused with someone else?"

Her mind was racing with a hundred different questions at once. She wasn't sure what to do right now.

Daryl had stood there trying to wrap his head around what he was seeing in front of him. His head was telling him that there was no way this could be Beth, he had watched her get shot in the head. He had carried her lifeless body out of this hell hole several days before.

"Get real Dixon!" his head told him. "You're just seeing things, same as Rick did after Lori!"

But his heart drove him towards her. He had to know if this was real or if he really had finally lost it completely.

He reached his hand up slowly to her shoulder, placing it there lightly. No sooner than his hand made contact, he pulled her in to his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

The breath he had unknowingly been holding since he walked in the room escaped him with a sigh of relief. His heart had started beating again. It was beating so fast he thought it might pop right out of his chest.

This was real! He hadn't lost his mind. Beth really was here standing in front of him and she was alive. He didn't know how in the hell that was even possible but right now he didn't give a damn. She was ALIVE! That's all that mattered.

He never wanted to let her go again. He could have held her in that embrace forever, but something wasn't quite right.

She wasn't hugging him back. In fact she wasn't really reacting at all. She was standing there, almost as if she was frozen.

He let his arms drop from around her and stepped back just enough to be able to look at her.

Her face looked almost frightened. Her eyes were searching his face, almost questioningly, as if she was looking at a stranger.

He felt his heart shatter into a thousand jagged pieces in his chest and tear his insides completely apart as they fell to his feet. She didn't know who he was. This was worse than her being dead and worse than her being taken from him the first time.

Now he had her back but she didn't remember him or any of the times they had shared alone or the conversation from that night that he desperately wanted to finish.

He felt the tears welling up in his eyes and he wanted nothing more than to collapse into a heap of helplessness on the floor. But she had locked her eyes on his and he couldn't break that.

He would take that moment with her even if she was just trying to figure out why this strange man was hugging her.

He had hugged her. She was shocked, her muscles had stiffened and she knew that he had noticed because it wasn't long before he let her go. He stepped back just enough to see her face.

He had been crushed. She wasn't sure why, but she knew he was taking this hard. His eyes had brimmed with tears when she didn't know who he was.

She focused on those eyes and she found herself lost in them. There was something familiar there, though she couldn't place what it was, and she couldn't break herself away from his gaze.

There was so much hurt behind those eyes and she longed to know what had put it there.

Just like that, her life started flashing back to her in bright burst of memory.

_Her name was Beth, just like this man had called when he walked in. She remembered living on a farm with her daddy and her sister, Maggie. She remembered when the world had gone mad and people started rising from the dead. _

_She remembered meeting a group of survivors after that kid got shot. CARL! That kid was Carl._

_She knew they had been run out of their farm when those walkers attacked. Walkers, that was it, not rotters._

_She remembered running that whole winter and then settling at the prison. Lori had died giving birth to Judith. Oh Judith! She missed that little girl so much._

_Then she remembered what had happened to her daddy. That awful man had cut his head right off his body, in front of her and Maggie._

Then it hit her all at once. Just like a freight train had run her over.

_This was Daryl! They had escaped together. They had spent that time growing closer to each other. _

_She remembered all the things they had done together. The moonshine shack, him letting his walls down for her, the funeral home. _

She snapped back into the moment right then and a single, "Oh." Came over her lips.

She threw herself into his arms, wrapping hers tightly around his waist.

"Daryl, I'm so sorry" she sobbed into his chest.

Now he was the one that was shocked but he still squeezed his arms round her tighter than ever.

This was a lot to process at one time. To say this was an emotional roller coaster would be an understatement.

"Girl there ain't nothin' for ya to be apologizin' about" he said when he could finally put together a coherent thought. "If anythin', I should be the one sayin' sorry to you. I couldn't keep ya safe an I damn near let ya get killed! Hell if I's bein honest, I really thought ya were dead til I saw ya standin' here in front of me. "

She pulled back from him slightly and looked deep into his eyes. He could swear that she could see into his soul.

"Wait Daryl, if ya thought I really was dead, what are you doing back at the hospital?" she was just wondering why he came back, if it wasn't to save her.

His eyes broke her gaze and fell to his boots moving nervously on the floor. How could he tell her that he was here for revenge? She had believed he was a good person. He couldn't for the life of him figure out where she got that idea from, but she had told him so when they were together.

He didn't know the best way to say it to her. He was afraid it might break her heart to know that he wasn't the good man she had thought him to be.'

"Daryl?" she asked him, a little more forcefully this time.

He figured he better just spill it. She was gonna be mad at him when he said it and mad at him if he didn't, so he just let it go.

He explained to her how he had felt about her being gone and how he just wanted to make those assholes pay for what they had done to her. He was careful to leave out how he had realized that he loved her. She was just remembering who she was, he didn't want to confuse her even more.

He stood there with his eyes trained on the floor as he finished telling her about his plot for revenge. He was tense, half expecting her to yell at him for being a selfish jerk, only thinking about how this plan would make him feel better.

To his surprise, she moved herself in close to him, positioning her face just below his so she could look right into his eyes. Then she said something that he just couldn't believe.

She looked him intently and flashed him a mischievous grin. Then she said, "Daryl," she paused. "We should burn it down."

**AN: Whew! I really hope this chapter came across the way that I wanted it to. Thanks for all the support and love I have gotten for this story. It really means a lot to me. Please feel free to review, good or bad, it helps me know that I'm moving in the right direction.**


	7. Chapter 7

Blazing Heart

Chapter 7

Daryl stood there trying to process what she had just said to him. She wanted to join him in his plan for revenge. He knew what had driven him to this point, but what in the hell had these assholes done to her while she was here to make her want to burn it down with him? Sure they had held her here when she just wanted to be with the rest of the family but that wouldn't be enough to—

Just then his thoughts were interrupted as one of the remaining officers rushed through the door. He had the element of surprise, as Daryl had been deep in thought. It gave the jackass just enough time bum-rush him, knocking him to the ground and then he started wailing on him.

It took Daryl a second to get his bearings about him before he started matching the asshole blow for blow. This was hard as hell with him being on his back, but he had made it too damn far to stop now. He had a second chance with Beth, hell, a third chance if he really thought about it. There was nothing in this world that was gonna fuck that up for him again.

They rolled around on the floor of that hospital room for what felt like an eternity to Daryl. They had both struggled back and forth for the upper hand, but right now the cop was on top of him again.

If he could just get to the damn gun he had in his waistband, he'd shoot this son of a bitch right between his fucking eyes.

Then in a split second, the other man stopped swinging on him and slumped over onto him.

Beth watched in horror as the officer tackled Daryl to the ground. She had to help him!

She scanned around the room, remembering he had dropped his knife when he had realized he was looking at her. It was still laying over by the doorway of her room. She moved towards it, but then thought better of it. She didn't figure she'd be able to do much damage with that. Her right hand was still in a cast and there was no way she would have enough force with her left hand to stop his attack.

The she saw it. The impact of the man had knocked Daryl's crossbow off his shoulder where he had had it loosely hanging while he hugged her. The bow string was still locked in place and ready to shoot. All she had to do was load a bolt in place.

She was shaking something fierce as she raised that bow to aim. She remembered what Daryl had taught her about steadying her breathing, so she did, as best she could.

By the time she slowed her breathing, that jerk was back on top. It was now or never and she knew it. She drew in a slow deep breath, focused right on his temple and pulled the trigger.

The bolt flew straight across the space between them in a split second. She hit her target, dead on. The man stopped fighting immediately and fell over top of Daryl, blood oozing out from entry wound.

It was only then that she felt her breath release with a long sigh of relief.

Daryl looked up at her in amazement as he rolled the asshole's body off him so he could get up.

He made his way over to her as quick as he could and lowered the crossbow that she still had aimed. He wrapped his arms tight around her and she collapsed into his chest.

"Holy shit Beth" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Daryl, I couldn't let him hurt you! I just got you back and I can't lose you again! I never wanna be away from you ever!" she told him, the fear dripping from every word.

"I meant what I said too! We should burn it down Daryl. We HAVE to burn it down!" Her voice was stronger with that statement. She was determined and he was not gonna stand in her way. He was gonna do this with her, just like they did with the moonshine shack.

He stepped back and gave her a silent nod of approval. He pulled the gun out of his waistband and handed it to her.

They carefully headed out into the hall, Daryl scanning ahead of them and Beth watching behind. They made their way through the rest of the hall, Daryl taking out two more people on their way. The last door they came to was Dr. Edwards's office.

Beth reached up and stopped Daryl's arm just before his hand reached to push the door open. "Let me go in alone" she mouthed silently.

He looked at her and she could see the apprehension in his face.

"Just trust me Daryl. I need to do this." She whispered and then kissed him gently on his cheek.

He silently nodded his approval and stepped beside the doorway to let her open the door to go in.

She tucked the gun into the back of her pants, took a deep breath and pushed through the door of the office. Edwards was sitting at his desk examining a stack of papers in front of him. He barely glanced up to see who had walked in.

"Oh hey Anna." He murmured, not really paying her much attention.

"My name is BETH!" she spewed angrily.

Edwards head jerked up from what he was reading. All the color drained from his face and his eyes looked like a deer that was caught in headlights.

"I…uh..but you…um…" he stammered.

"Save it! You don't need to try to explain your way outta this! I just need you to answer my question." She demanded.

"Uh…umm.. o-okay" his tongue tripped over his words. He still hadn't fully grasped what the hell was going on.

"You need to tell me, who really shot me? I know it wasn't some accident like you tried to say before." She blurted as she glared at him.

"Well, uh, you're right. I'm sure you already remember though An- , uh- Beth. Dawn shot you when after you stabbed her with some scissors." He told her.

She was surprised he could even keep a straight face when he said that. "Ya sure it was Dawn that pulled the trigger?" she quipped.

"Of course! What do you mean? Everybody saw what happened Beth! Even that whole group that came to get you saw it. That's why they killed her!" his voice was starting to sound a little more worried.

Beth lost it with that. He was sitting there lying to her face and just hoping that she didn't really remember the truth. She made her way around that desk to where he was sitting, pulling the gun out from behind her back at the same time. She came face to face with him, the barrel of her gun pressed firmly against his forehead.

"Ya know it wasn't Dawn that shot me Edwards. Everybody else mighta thought that but I saw you!" Beth was furious by this point. "I know it was you! When I stabbed her and she Amoved her head, I saw you shoot me!"

He sat back in the chair, trembling with fear.

"What I need to know is why! Why'd you do it Edwards?" Beth continued.

**AN: Wow! So first of all. Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I know I have been posting one daily but with nursing school, work and a sick child this week I didn't have the time I would have liked to write.**

**Thank you to bethgreenewarriorprincess and all the lovely ladies that we chat with daily for some of the ideas in this chapter. Those ideas will continue into the next chapter as well.**

**I wrote this chapter and rewrote this chapter several times because I didn't like the way it was coming out. I'm still not completely satisfied but I'm hoping you guys like it. Please let me know and review it, good or bad or even suggestions. I'm open to it all.**


	8. Chapter 8

Blazing Heart

Chapter 8

Terror gripped him and his throat drew so tight he could barely get the words out. "I..it..uh.. I wasn't trying to hit you. It was O"Donnell…he wanted Dawn dead. It was supposed to be Dawn. I didn't know you were gonna stab her and make her move her head."

"You're lying again!" she screamed. "O'Donnell is dead! Dawn had me push him down the elevator shaft!"

"I know..but..uh..he didn't die! He was injured but he made it. He came to me for treatment and he said if I helped him take her out, he would keep me safe. You know I need this place! You know I couldn't make it out there!"

"I don't believe you! You're lying just to save your own skin! Just like you lied and said you didn't tell me the wrong medication to give Trivett!" she was so mad the words just hissed from between her lips.

"Beth…I..uh.." he stumbled over the words he was trying to get out.

"That's enough! I don't wanna hear anythin' else you have to say! You're nothin' more than a coward! You don't care about anybody but yourself!" she was livid by this point and her body was shaking from all the pent up anger.

He sat there shrunk down in his chair until he almost looked smaller than Beth. He was also shaking, but for a completely different reason. He knew by the look on her face that he was done for. She was not going to let him get away with hurting anyone anymore. But still he pleading with her, to please let him live.

"So everything you do here is supposed to be for the greater good, right?" Beth questioned him.

Her posture had relaxed just a bit and her voice didn't sound quite as angry.

"Umm…Yes! Yeah it is." He sputtered out.

For the first time since this whole thing started, Edwards had a small sliver of hope that he might just be able to save himself again. He just might make it out of this alive. Her tough approach was starting to crack. At least he thought it was.

Beth stared at him, watching as he started to relax ever so slightly. The tension that had twisted his face in fear a few moments ago seemed to slip away. He straightened back up in the chair just a little bit.

A slight smile crept across her face as she adjusted her grip on the gun. It was still aimed at the doctor's forehead.

"Well unfortunately for you Dr. Edwards," she smirked, "you are not the greater good."

He didn't even have time to respond before a bullet seared its way through his brain and everything went black.

Beth spun around on her heels and headed back out of the office.

Daryl was standing in the doorway and grabbed her arm to stop her as she tried to squeeze past him.

"Beth?" his voice was barely above a whisper.

He gazed at her very intently. Though it had been fair amount of time since she had been with him, she could still read the meaning behind his stare. He just wanted to make sure she was okay.

"I'm fine Daryl." She answered his unspoken question and locked her eyes in his; letting him see the answer he was searching for.

He nodded and turned around to lead her out of this god forsaken place. The move d through the hallways in silence, gathering the medical supplies and food they could scavenge, throwing it into the bags they had found.

Daryl forced open the door to the stairwell, Beth followed behind him with an arm full of papers and a set of car keys jingling in her other hand.

"What the hell is all that?" he grunted.

"You said we could burn it down." She said sweetly "Ya gonna help me or am I gonna have to do it by myself?" She batted her eyelashes at him and flashed him a smile so bright that it could have put the sun to shame.

He just shook his head and let a barely noticeable grin creep across his lips. How in the hell could he say no to that?

"Alright Greene! We'll burn this shit hole down." He spoke with a hint of happiness that he hadn't had since he lost her that night outside the funeral home.

He let her take the lead, as she seemed to have some sort of plan. They ended up in the basement of the hospital, where there were large tanks, piping, valves and trash.

He took watch for her while she piled the papers she had brought with her and some old boxes and crates that she rounded up in the basement, forming a mound underneath one of the humongous tanks labeled OXYGEN. She moved from the first pile and started making another one under the second large oxygen tank.

He stood there looking at her in amazement. The drive and determination he saw in her was so much more than he had ever seen in her before. Of course he had known that it was there, he was probably the only one who really knew, but to see it to this extent had him awe struck.

She stood up and brushed her hands on the front of her pants, walking towards him as she did.

"I'll be needin something to light it with." She held her hand out expectantly.

He let out a small chuckle. "Here I was thinkin' you'd got so good, you didn't need my help anymore."

She punched him in the arm playfully.

"Oh shut up and give me your matches or somethin' Daryl." She tried to keep the scowl on her face, but she could never hide her smile.

He stepped up and helped her get both fires started. Once they were fairly sure the fires weren't going to burn out, they made their way back up to ground level taking out the few walkers they encountered on the way. After they reached the outside, Beth ran over to one of the cars that the Grady cops had been using to scout. She tossed the keys to Daryl and they jumped in and sped away.

Neither one of them spoke until they were several miles away from that place.

Beth broke the silence. "Daryl…do ya still think there is good people in this world?"

He glanced over at her out of the corner of his eye. "Course I do Beth."

"How can you be sure though? What changed your mind?" she questioned him.

He turned his head to look her in the eye. He didn't speak for what felt like forever, even though he was sure it was no more than a minute. He knew he couldn't let this moment pass again without telling her.

"You changed my mind girl." He said softly. "As long as you are here, I KNOW there are good people Beth."

"Oh…" was all she could manage to say.

She reached over and laced her fingers in his. She smiled when he adjusted his hand to let her fit hers into his.

She leaned her head over and laid it on his shoulder. Her head was spinning from what he had just said to her. So much so that she didn't even notice the explosion behind them when the oxygen tanks finally blew.

Daryl Dixon had all but admitted that he cared about her. Not so much in what he had said, but more with the way he had looked at her when he said it.

They continued driving in silence, hands intertwined and her head on his shoulder.

**AN: Whew! Lots going on in this chapter. I really hope that you all still enjoy reading it. And as always thank you so much for favoriting, following and reviewing this story for me. It means a lot to me when I get to know that people are liking what I'm writing. I am also open for suggestions, I know a general direction I want this story to end up but there are so many different ways to get there.**

**Also thanks to bethgreenewarriorprincess for the Edwards/O'Donnell idea. It was one of the theories we had talked about before. I think it made for an interesting twist.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Warning: this chapter flashes back to the sexual assault on Beth by Gorman. Please don't read if this is an emotional trigger for you**.

Blazing Heart

Chapter 9

It had been about a week or so, if Daryl had to guess. They had driven out of Atlanta and continued on in the direction, he figured, that the family was still moving. Even though he truly did want to find the others, part of him also wanted for it to stay just him and Beth. It was almost back to the way it had been at the funeral home.

Finding her alive had been the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. He really did think she was gone from him forever and to have another chance with her was something he still wasn't sure that he deserved. He had failed to protect her when she needed him the most. He had allowed her to be taken from him, to be held hostage in that rat hole. He'd allowed for them to do whatever the fuck they had done to her while she was there, she still hadn't really told him about any of that yet, and he wasn't completely sure that he even wanted to know. Besides, he couldn't really expect her to open up to him when he had yet to find the right words to tell her what she meant to him. He wanted her to know, he felt like she deserved to know, but he was never one that was good with words and they definitely did not come easy to him.

He had taken to sitting near her and watching her sleep most nights. He found that he couldn't bring himself to keep his eyes off of her. It felt almost like if he did, she might disappear again, and be gone just like she was before.

She started thrashing around in her sleep, gradually getting louder saying "NO! STOP!".

He scooted over beside her and put his hands on her shoulders shaking her gently saying softly, "It's ok Beth. You're ok. It's Daryl, I'm here with you."

She had been doing this almost every night since he had gotten her back. He had figured out that this would wake her and let her calm down enough that she could rest for a couple more hours.

She looked around to see where she was and shuddered when she realized it was Dawn's office.

Then she felt a light touch on her face, the fingers continuing down her neck, grazing over her chest before coming to rest on her hip. Gorman. It was him and his grubby paws in front of her.

He used the hand on her hip to pull her body flush against his. She could feel his hardness again her groin as she fought the urge to vomit in his face.

She could feel his disgusting breath on her neck as he mumbled something about showing him some appreciation for saving her life.

His other hand roaming up her body and grabbing so harshly at her breast that it hurt. She tried to raise her knee to his crotch but it won't move when she wants it to. She fumbles around on the desk, feeling for something she can use to bash him in the head, but there is nothing there.

His nasty, slimy tongue flicks out over her neck. She's desperate at this point for anything that may stop him. She just starts screaming. As loud as she can, hoping that this will halt the attack.

Then she feels herself shaking lightly. Then a voice she can barely make out at first, until it comes in a little more clearly. "It's ok Beth. You're ok. It's Daryl, I'm here with you."

Oh it's Daryl. She realized she wasn't in that horrible hospital anymore. It was just a terrible dream, again. She was in a small shack with Daryl and she was safe, Gorman was dead and she was ok.

She sat up and moved the short distance to get as close to him as she could, wrapping her arms around his waist and nuzzling her head into the crook of his neck. A few tears crept up and spilled from her eyes.

He felt a little uneasy at first at her closeness to him but he wanted to comfort her, so he slowly wrapped her in his arms and just let her stay there. As far as he was concerned, she could stay there forever if that's what she wanted to do.

After a few minutes, Beth decided that she might feel better if she just talked about it. It couldn't hurt to get it off her chest; she had been holding it in since it happened really. "Daryl," she paused, "the nightmare that I keep having, it's about something that happened while I was gone." She pulled away from his chest enough so that she could glance up at him, trying to gauge whether or not he would even want to hear about it.

He stared down into her eyes, she wanted to let him in on this, and she needs to talk to him. Before he even had time to think about a response, his words came tumbling out, "They hurt you Beth?"

She was a little surprised that he wanted to talk to her about it, he wasn't much for words, she knew that, but he actually wanted to have this conversation. "Well, it was this one officer, Gorman, he uh…." She fumbled to figure out the best words to tell him.

"Beth did he…" Daryl didn't even need to finish his thought, he couldn't.

She watched as a look of terror, mixed with something else, possibly rage washed over his features. She knew what he was thinking. "No Daryl, he didn't get that far. He tried but I stopped him." She comforted him. "I..uh..I killed him Daryl. I busted his head and left him to be torn apart by a walker." Tears started streaming steadily down her cheeks and she wasn't even sure why she was crying now.

He reached up instinctively, resting his hands on her cheeks and using his thumbs to brush the wet droplets from her face. Still cupping her face he bent down level with her, looking her deep in her eyes. "Beth, ain't no reason to be worryin' yaself over what ya had to do to that asshole. He tried to put his hands on ya in a way that he shouldn't and the prick got what he deserved. 'Sides, better be glad it was you that got him 'stead of me, woulda been a million times worse for that son of a bitch!"

Her mouth curved up into a small smile. He cared about her and she knew it. Of course he still hadn't said it, but she knew that would take much longer for him. But the way he got so enraged at what Gorman had tried to do to her and the way he was caressing her face and looking into her eyes as if he was reading her soul, she knew he really cared and she would take moments like this over him saying it outright any day. She always felt like actions spoke louder than words, and his actions since they were reunited had be speaking loud and clear.

"Daryl?" she asked, looking at him intently.

"Yeah Beth." He encouraged her to continue.

"Could you just lay with me? I feel safe when I'm here in your arms." She kept her eyes locked on his. Their faces were still so close that their noses were almost touching.

That question took him off guard. He sat there for what felt like forever just trying to process what she was asking of him. She wanted to been near him, to be close enough to touch him. He made her feel safe. He wasn't quite sure how, he had failed to protect her from being taken and he had failed to protect her from being shot. This girl, this woman was something so amazing to him. He had failed her more than once but she still felt safe with him. He didn't understand it but he wasn't about to deny her of anything that made her comfortable.

"O' course Beth. I'd do anythin' ya needed." Again he wasn't sure of where his words were coming from, but they seemed to come easier with her now.

He adjusted himself down onto the floor where her blankets were and stayed still as she lowered herself onto her side with her arm across his stomach, her knee bent slightly over his leg, and her head wiggling back onto his chest.

She raised her head and brushed her lips against his cheek. "Thank you." She whispered before settling back down.

He wrapped her up in his arms and held her as she drifted back off to sleep.

He didn't have the slightest idea what he had ever done in his shitty life to end up here, with Beth Greene sleeping in his arms, totally trusting of him like no one else had ever done before. He knew it wasn't anything that he deserved and he would probably never deserve it, but right now he wasn't going to question it. He would just enjoy this while it lasted because he was sure when they found the family it would be gone. He would deal with that hurt when it they got to it, but for now, he could pretend that they would have this forever.

**AN: Hello again guys! I hope this chapter is as good as you have been telling me the rest of the story is. This one is definitely not as action packed as the last several, but I felt like we needed a little Bethyl sweetness. As always, thank you so much to everyone who has favorite, followed and reviewed this story. Please continue to give me some feedback, it gives me the motivation I need to keep this thing going.**

**Don't be worried if I start skipping a couple more days between updated though, I am currently up to my eyeballs in microbiology work and nursing care plans! **** I will update as quickly as I can.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Blazing Heart**

**Chapter 10**

Daryl hadn't slept again that night, he couldn't. His body was still so as not to wake Beth, but his mind was running about 10,000 miles an hour.

_Beth Greene is cuddled up beside you right now!_

_She feels safe with you._

_She TRUSTS you! Somebody trusts Daryl Dixon. How is that even possible? You sure as hell don't deserve it._

_She thinks you are a good man. How could anybody describe you that way?! _

Hard as he tried, he just couldn't figure out how he had gotten lucky enough to have a girl like her believe in him the way she does. Only thing he could figure was that it was just because they were in this situation alone again. She would have felt this way about any other guy if it were somebody else she was stuck here with.

He didn't really believe that though. He had seen Beth with her boyfriends before. She liked them well enough, but he had never seen her so sure that they could protect her, he knew she didn't feel safe with either of them. There was something else there with him, a different look in her eyes when she looked at him. He had never seen her have that look before with anyone. It was almost as if she lov-

He shook his head. _No way Dixon. There ain't no way in hell that girl loves you too. Lack of sleep has got ya losin' it here._

He knew there was something different about the way she looked at him now. But no one else had ever looked at him that way, so he had to be misreading her. She couldn't love him, could she?

He hadn't thought about that before, about how Beth might feel about him. He had just known that he wanted her to know how he felt about her. He still hadn't figured out how in the hell he was gonna tell her that. He didn't think Nicholas Sparks, one of those guys that wrote those damn romance novels, could even put into words the way that he felt about her. How in the fuck was he supposed to come up with the right words?

She lay there completely still next to him. She didn't want him to know she was awake yet. Really she had been awake for the last hour or so, but she didn't want to move away from him. She knew if he realized she was up that he would move away as fast as he could. He wouldn't be this close to her unless it was to help her sleep.

She wanted nothing more than to be able to feel this closeness, even in the light of day. But she knew he would never allow it. When the darkness faded into light, he would be up faster than a shot ready to get moving again. Ready to try to find the family again.

She missed everyone else too, but she wasn't really in a hurry to go hunting for them right now. It was nice for it to just be her and Daryl. She was pretty sure she could convince him to let her sleep in his arms every night without too much objection with it being just the two of them. When they find the others though, she's almost certain he won't even want to look at her, much less sleep beside each other.

She didn't rightly care what anyone else had to say about it. She is a grown woman, even if they don't see her that way and she can do whatever she wants to do including Daryl Dixon.

She blushed at that thought. She hadn't been trying to think about it that way, but it was an intriguing thought. She'd never even thought that way about anyone else. But then again, no one else made her feel the way that Daryl does.

Like last night when he caressed her face and was close enough that she almost thought he might kiss her or right now with his gorgeous, muscular arms enveloping her into his chest. Every touch made her feel alive, made her feel like every nerve ending in her body was on edge, dancing around widely.

She'd lay here forever and pretend to be sleeping if that's what it took to keep his arms around her. She never wants to know what it feels like to not have him there.

Beth sat up, stretching her arms upward over her head. Her shirt riding up ever so slightly, enough to exposed the milky white skin just below her belly button. He couldn't help but to stare, she was so fucking perfect. He briefly entertained the thought of what it might feel like to press his lips to that soft skin there, but he shook his head, there is no way it would ever get to that point with her. Was it? She was starting make him question whether or not there might actually be something mutual between them. He though just maybe she might feel the same way about him, and just maybe there might be a slim chance they could have something more.

"Mornin' Daryl." Her angelic voice broke into his thoughts.

"Mornin'." He grunted, struggling to hold back a grin as she tried to act like she had really just woken up.

He knew she was faking it; she had been awake for at least 2 hours before this. He had noticed the change in her breathing and she had been moving around more than before. He'd also seen her face blush at some point and wondered what was going through that beautiful mind of hers that would cause her to be embarrassed like that.

"Did you get some sleep last night?" she asked, still stretching herself out.

"Mhmm." He mumbled. It was a lie, but he didn't really want to go into explaining why he was up all night thinking. He wasn't quite ready to tackle that bear yet. He thought it better to just let it lie for now.

"Guess we better get movin' huh? Can't be wastin' daylight if we're gonna find everybody soon." She said, half hoping he would want to stay for a while, like he had said at the funeral home that night.

"Yeah, guess we should." He grunted, getting up to his feet. He reached his hand out to help her up.

They gathered their things back into their packs. She rolled her blankets up and secured them to her backpack. They moved around the shack in silence as they prepared to continue on their journey.

She felt him grab her wrist. She figured something was wrong. But he spun her around and he pulled her into his chest and wrapped her in his arms.

She didn't know what to think when he hugged her. This wasn't really something that he did most of the time. Besides for when he had found her in that hospital, she couldn't say that he really ever initiated this much contact between them. Of course she wasn't complaining, as far as she was concerned, he could do this any time he wanted to.

They stood embracing each other for what felt like an eternity but not long enough at the same time. He knew no amount of time with Beth would ever be enough, but he planned on enjoying whatever time he did get with her.

He lowered his head and placed a kiss on the top of her head, breathing her in. She smelled like dirt and salty sweat, but it was the most intoxicating scent he had ever smelled in his life. He guessed it didn't really matter what she smelled like, just as long as it was her.

"Beth," he took a long pause, pulling back enough to look at her face. " M' really happy ya're here with me."

She locked her eyes in his. She loved the way that she could see into his soul through his eyes, and she loved it even more because she knew he'd never let anyone else get close enough to do that, it had only ever been her, and would more than likely would always be just her.

She knew there was more meaning behind those words than what showed on the surface. No one else would understand what he meant when he said it, but she did. One day he'll tell her how he really feels, but for now she will just enjoy reading it in his eyes.

"I'm happy to Daryl. Happier than I've ever been to be with anyone else." She said it, and she meant it.

They held their embrace for a while longer. Neither of them are really sure how long, but they finally tore themselves away from each other enough to continue looking for the rest of their family.

They trekked along in silence towards the car that was parked about a mile away from the shack they had slept in. Not an awkward silence, it was comfortable, both of them knew there was more to be said, but they were alright with not saying it right now. There was definitely a shift in the dynamic between them though neither of them could quite define it just yet. So for now they hiked along, hands twisted together as if they were gripping onto each other for dear life, so neither of them would float away on the high they were on right now.

**AN: So I know this chapter has very little action at all, but my character speak to me and tell me what they want to do and today they both wanted to just lay there in each other's arms. What else was I supposed to do? If I make my characters angry, they might stop speaking to me **** haha**

**The plan as of now is to give them at least one more chapter of alone time to build this thing they are trying to figure out between them. Then they will be finding the family soon, and the drama will ensue with trying to figure out what they are with the group back in the picture.**

**But really though, I love you guys so much for giving me such positive feedback. It really does keep me motivated to keep you all happy! Please stop on your way out and review this chapter for me.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Blazing Heart**

**Chapter 11**

They had been travelling for two more days in almost complete silence. Beth knew that it would be hard for him to talk about what they were becoming; she expected it to take him a while to find the words to say to her, but this was starting to get to her.

It still wasn't an awkward silence; it was just starting to frustrate her because she felt like she needed more from him than she was getting at the moment. He wouldn't touch her in during the day aside from a gently nudge to guide her while they were walking but at night when they would bunk down to try to rest, he would let her curl right up beside him and he would wrap his arms around her without protest.

She thought it might be childish or selfish of her, but she just wanted to be able touch and be close to him whenever it felt right and not have to wait.

It was very obvious after the last two nights of sleeping with their bodies pressed close together and their arms tangled around each other that they both wanted the same thing, even if neither of them had said it yet.

When he touched her, even in the most innocent way, it sent shivers down her spine. Just putting his hand on her lower back or her arm to guide her in the right direction as they were walking was enough to have her entire body buzzing. She knew she needed more from him than what he would be able to give her right now. She was trying to give him his space and his time to process everything, but the slight touch here and there from him was just not enough anymore.

But it wasn't like he didn't want the same thing she did. She knew that for sure. The last two nights he had actually been able to sleep even if it was only for a few hours. She had woken up in the middle of the night, both nights, with him moaning her name. Whatever he was dreaming had to be great because the evidence of his arousal had been pressed hard against her backside both times.

The first night it shocked her just a little to realize that he was dreaming about her and that she was the cause of his erection. That had been what started her mind into the downward spiral that landed it in the gutter where it currently resided. Just knowing that she had that effect on him woke up something inside her that she had never felt before. She spent the rest of that first night imagining what exactly he was dreaming about doing to her, which turned into imagining what she would want to do to him and with him.

It had left an ache from low in her belly down between her thighs. No one had ever made her think that way or burn with desire that way. But Daryl had done it without even trying; he didn't even know that he had caused these dirty thoughts in her head.

So the next night, when she was awakened by his deep moaning and her name floating out over his lips, she decided it was now or never. She needed to make a move and hope for the best. She arched her back slightly and wiggled her bottom back against his hardness.

He pushed more firmly against her and let out a long sigh. His hand moved from its resting place at her stomach up and over, grabbing her hip and massaging with just enough pressure to rock her body back and forth against him.

Feeling his hands run across her body that way nearly drove her crazy. Her whole body felt like it was hot enough to spontaneously burst into flames right where she was laying. She could hardly even believe that this was happening at all, but it was.

Just when she felt the evidence of her own arousal begin to seep out between her legs, he jolted awake, jerking his hands off her as he scrambled to his feet.

"What the hell are ya doin' Beth?" he blurted, he was angry and genuinely confused.

He knew he had been having some thoughts and dreams about her that he had no business having at all. He shouldn't be thinking of Beth that way. He'd tried his best to control them but if she was going to be doing things like this…he shook his head. There was no way that she had done that on purpose right? No, she's too sweet, pure and innocent. She probably didn't even realize what she had done.

"M' sorry." He grunted, running his down over his face. "Jus thought ya were doin' that on purpose is all."

She stood up and walked quietly over to where he was standing propped against the wall near the only small window in the hut. She couldn't help but notice how gorgeous he looked with the dim moonlight washing over his features.

"Don't be sorry Daryl" she said coyly, "Maybe I was." She ran her hands up underneath his shirt, over the hard plane of his stomach.

He jumped at her touch and the forwardness of what she had just said. He grabbed her wrists and held her hands out between them.

"Beth, ya can't be doin' things like that! We can't…I mean you an' me…Beth we shouldn't.." He tried his best but he couldn't even speak about this in front of her. She had been so open to admitting what she was trying to do to him and here he couldn't even bring himself to say it. How would he ever be able to do… he wouldn't even let himself finish that thought.

If he let his mind start in that direction, he knew that any argument he might have for her would be lost and he would be doing something they both would regret.

"Ya know we can't do…THAT Beth." He managed to get that out without yelling at her again.

"And just why not, Mr. Dixon?" she quipped.

He watched as her lips curved upward into flirty grin. She just looked so beautiful. This woman was going to be the death of him.

"We jus' shouldn't." he said, trying to gather his thoughts, "I'm not what ya need Beth. I'm not good for ya an' I can't let ya do somethin' that ya gonna regret later."

He continued watching her face so he could gauge her reaction to what he was saying. He hoped it would be enough make her reconsider what she was obviously thinking about earlier. She had a different look in her eyes though; it almost looked like the fire he had lit in her back at the moonshine shack when he had been a dick to her because he was drunk.

"An' just who do you think you are to tell me what I need and what's good for me?!" the words spewed from her like venom from a snake. "I don't think anyone can decide that for me, Daryl! In case you didn't notice, I'm a grown woman! I can decide those things for myself!"

By this point she had jerked her wrists away from his grasp and was flailing her arms around as she spoke. He was in awe of how quickly she had flipped from being flirty with him to being ready to snap his head right off his neck. Even when she was mad as fire, she was still beautiful.

"I didn't mean that ya couldn't think on ya own Beth." He spoke gently, "I jus' meant that maybe there's somebody better for ya than me."

He dropped his gaze from her to the floor, digging the toe of his boot down into the hole in the wood there.

She saw the hurt look in his eyes. It was the same look he had when he tried to tell her he was just a nobody before. He really thought he couldn't be good enough for her, and that shattered her heart into a million pieces.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and just held him as tight as she could. He folded his arms over her shoulders.

"Daryl, I want you to know that you are everything that I want. You may not think that you are good for me, but I know better. You are the best thing for me. I couldn't find anyone more suited for me if I tried." She said, more sure about this than she had ever been about anything in her life.

"I'm never gonna want anyone else but you. You are everythin' I need without even tryin'. I love you Daryl. I've known that since back when we were together before." She paused to be sure he was looking her in the eyes. Then she continued, "I know ya care about me too Daryl, even if ya haven't said it yet. Talkin' is a hard thing for ya and I get that, but I'm tired of wastin' time that we could have bein' happy together while I wait for ya to be ready."

He stood there, still leaned against the wall with his arms barely draped on her shoulders. Had she really just come out and said that she wanted to be _with _him. Did she really say that she loves him, she loves Daryl Dixon?

Nobody had ever told him that, not like she just did. She'd seemed so certain about it; she really believed he was the man she wanted to be with. Was he still dreaming? There is no way that someone as amazing as Beth Greene could love him. But here she was, standing in front of him looking almost ethereal. Even with her clothes all crumpled and stained with blood, and her hair matted from sleep, she looked like a goddess.

"_Come one Dixon. You need to say something" _he told himself_. _

"Ya love me?" he asked. The words tumbled out over his lips before he knew it. That was not what he wanted to say but he did want to know. He needed to make sure he wasn't hearing things; he half expected her to say no, that he'd been mistaken.

She stepped back just a little and dropped her arms from around his waist.

"_This is it." _He thought. _"She's gonna tell you that ya've lost ya're damn mind."_

She reached up, placing her hands on each side of his face, looking at him intently.

"Yeah Daryl. I do. I think that we could have somethin' amazin' together and I don't wanna miss out on it just because you're afraid." Her voice was almost in a whisper by the end because she had moved her face so close to his that their noses were touching.

He could barely wrap his mind around what she had just said. Beth said she loved him, that she wanted to see what they might be able to have together. Maybe she was right, maybe he was just afraid. He knew he had a couple arguments as to why this was a horrible idea, but he couldn't, for the life of him, recall any of them right now.

She let her hands fall from his face and rest on his shoulders. With one swift movement, she shifted herself up onto her tip toes and brushed her lips across his. She knew it was a bold move, and he might turn and run away, but she had to do something.

When her lips touched his, it sent shocks tingling through his entire body. He jolted back as if he had been electrocuted, but only for a split second before he dipped his head and pressed his lips a little more firmly against hers.

This surprised her at first; she didn't expect him to return the gesture so readily. It gave her a head rush that sent her spiraling into dizziness. She leaned more fully against his chest to steady herself and keep from falling to the floor, she was sure her legs had turned into jello beneath her.

It was gentle at first, just lips fluttering over top of each other. That soon gave way to their lips parting, allowing their tongues to dance together, back and forth from his mouth to hers.

He raised one hand from her shoulder up to the top of her neck where her hairline started. He worked his fingers into her golden lock, allowing it to tangle around his hand.

He let the other hand drop, keeping constant contact with her body, as it made its way to its resting place on her hip.

This sent shivers coursing up and down her spine. She had never felt anything like this before, no one had ever kissed her this way.

Her heart was beating so hard and fast that it felt like it was trying to escape from her body. She was sure if she wasn't pressed so tightly against him, that it would do just that.

It was Daryl who finally pulled his lips from hers. By this point they were both panting, trying to catch their breath. He could have kept kissing her forever but he figured they would probably both die from lack of oxygen. Not that that would be a bad way to go. His lips turned into a light grin with that thought.

"Wow" she breathed; her cheeks flushed a pale shade of pink. Her breath was still coming in pants. She still couldn't believe what had just happened.

"Look, ya were right," he started, "I am afraid."

She tilted her head up, studying his face as he spoke. He was finally talking about this thing they had between them, whatever it was becoming.

"Ya know I ain't much for talkin'" he continued. "an' tellin' ya how I feel about ya scares the hell outta me Beth."

"Daryl I know that, but ya know this is _me._ Ya can tell me anythin'" She comforted him. She understood how hard this was for him.

He fidgeted the end of his thumb with his teeth, contemplating on how to finish this conversation. This was important and he didn't want to fuck it up, not this time.

He drew in a deep breath before he said, "Beth I care about ya a lot. More than I ever cared 'bout anyone before. If ya're sure ya wanna try this thing with me, then we can try it. 'M willin' to be here for ya as long as ya will let me."

She nodded her head in agreement. Tears welling up in her eyes at his admission that he truly did want this too.

"Jus' one thing though Beth" he whispered.

"Anythin'. What is it?" she asked.

"No more wakin' me up like ya did tonight alright? Can we jus' take things slow from now on?" he questioned, he was mostly serious but there was a playful undertone in he words.

Her smile stretched across her face to the point that her eyes were squinted almost shut. He could swear that she lit that whole small hut they were staying in. He knew it was shining brighter than the full moon that was hung in the sky that night.

"I'll try not, but I don't think I can make any promises, Mr. Dixon." She purred, winking at him as she moved back over to their blankets to lay down.

A chuckle rumbled its way out from deep in the back of his throat. He moved back to where she was now laying, shaking his head as he went. Beth was going to be the death of him, he knew that, but he also knew that there would be no better way to go.

He lowered himself down beside her, pressing his lips to her forehead.

"I love you Daryl" she said, settling herself down onto his chest.

"I love ya too Beth."

**AN: They decided to see where things could go between them. Of course we all know if Daryl loves you, he loves you for life. Their journey is not going to be easy, but they will always have each other.**

**I wrote this one and re-wrote it several times. I am hoping it came out the way I wanted.**

**They will be finding the family very soon, I'm leaning towards next chapter but it's not set 100% yet. **

**Thanks to everyone for all the reviews. I really appreciate every single one. You guys are awesome **


	12. Chapter 12

**Blazing Heart**

**Chapter 12**

The last couple of days had been lighter between the two of them. There was no longer the heaviness hanging over them of what they both wanted from each other. They had finally spoken the words out loud.

Beth had been downright giddy since that night. She had gotten back into singing, even if it was just quietly as the continued moving on in an attempt to find the others.

"_Boys are such a big book that I've barely read_

_I know that you're much older_

_And you've had many lovers_

_But there's no place I'd rather be _

_Than underneath the covers_

_Next to you, next to you"_

Sometimes it would be the words and sometimes she would just hum the tune. Either way, it still brought a smile to Daryl's face. Even if it was just the small half grin he always did.

They were happy for the first time in a very long time. Hell if Daryl was honest with himself, this was probably the first time he had **ever** truly been happy.

He found that pretty ironic that he had to wait until the world had completely gone to hell in a hand basket before he could experience true happiness. He figured he was more than likely on of the only people alive that was glad the world went to shit. He knew if it hadn't, there wouldn't have been a chance that he would have met any of the people that he now considered his family. There was sure as hell no way he would ever have run across Beth Greene. Even if he had, he was sure Hershel would have run his ass off with a shotgun before he got a chance to get close to any of them. Daryl still wasn't completely convinced that he wouldn't have done the same thing now if he were still here, knowing that Dixon lips had been all over his precious little daughter.

He shook his head, he still couldn't think about Hershel without having that twinge of guilt deep in his chest. Beth had assured him that there was nothing he could have done differently, but the what if would always haunt him.

Beth's voice broke him away from his thoughts. She was still singing, he was quite amused by her choice of song lately. He knew she was doing it on purpose, trying to get a rise out of him. He had gotten pretty good at acting oblivious to the message she was trying to send.

"_And I'm telling myself to be patient_

_And I'm telling myself to wait_

'_cause when it comes to your love_

_I over anticipate"_

Just like clockwork, when she finished that line, she glanced over at him walking beside her, her eyes glimmering with hope. Waiting to see what he would say, waiting to see if he had caught on to what she was really trying to say.

"That was nice Beth" he said, with a smirk making its way across his features, "Y' should keep singin'"

She let out a deep sigh. She couldn't tell whether or not he was just that ignorant to what she was trying to say or if he was just playing dumb with her since he really just wanted to take things slow. She didn't know how he could resist the urge to just take her out her in the woods, up against a tree. She certainly had thought about what that would be like, and she could hardly contain herself when those thoughts invaded her brain like an army on a mission.

And when they kissed, the feelings that rushed through her body were amazing. She always wanted to just let things continue, because with him, it just felt natural. It seemed like loving him so completely in that way would come easily to her, like singing.

He would always, without fail, break contact with her and change the subject. That was what had led him to pick back up with the tracking lessons they had started back before she was taken.

Though she would have rather been spending their time together a little differently, she had to admit that she had gotten really good at tracking. She was even able to get them a couple rabbits for dinner the night before. She had been elated that she was able to do it on her own and Daryl had been rather proud of her too.

She jumped when he threw his arm out across her chest, stopping her in her tracks, so to speak. She spun her head around towards him, about to ask him what the hell he was doing scaring her like that, but the look on his face stopped her.

His smile was gone and his eyes were darting around as he raised his crossbow off his shoulder and around in front of him, positioning it so that it was ready to fire.

His eyes met hers and she gave him a fearful, questioning look.

His finger went up over his lips, motioning for her to stay quiet and then to his ear, letting her know to listen. So she did, and she heard the sound of branches snapping and leaves crunching. She froze with fear. It was definitely footsteps, but it wasn't the shuffling sound that walkers have. It was too heavy to be an animal; it had to be other people. She reached and unsheathed her knife from her belt.

People, the living, that scared him more than anything. In all actuality, living people had done more harm to both of them than the damn walkers had. At least with the walkers, he knew what they were after, flesh, food. They could handle that.

With the living, you didn't know what they had planned for you. They could be like Rick and genuinely want to help people. Of course nine times out of ten they were evil. They were usually like Joe and the guys he'd gotten tangled up with; they'd almost killed Rick and Michonne and wanted to rape Carl. Or they were like Gareth and those damn Terminites, and they claimed to be a sanctuary for survivors when they really just wanted to slaughter and eat you.

He shook his head. He needed to focus, clear his head of those thoughts, he needed to protect Beth. He would not fail her this time, never again.

The crackling footsteps had slowed slightly. Whoever it was had probably heard their footsteps too.

Daryl and Beth had assumed the fighting stance they had adopted in their travels. Him with his crossbow and her with her knife, back to back. They were able to watch what was coming from all angles this way. It had worked when they had needed to fight off a herd of walkers, he hoped it would work with whatever mess they were about to come up on.

They continued slowly on the path they were headed down. The footsteps in the distance were getting closer and becoming clearer. He could make out at least two distinct sets, possibly three, but he wasn't quite sure. They could handle that though, two or three people would be no obstacle to them. That gave him a small sense of relief.

As they closed in on the threat, voices started to drift out to them. The voices seemed to be joyful, not angry or hateful. This threw them both off for a second. They stopped and just listened to try and see how many voices were talking.

To both of their surprise, all of the voices sounded oddly familiar.

Daryl cut his eyes over to Beth and she was smiling so big that it almost seemed to not fit her tiny face. He knew what she wanted to do, so he nodded his head in the direction of the voices. With that acknowledgement, she darted off down the trail in a full sprint. He followed behind her as closely as he could, but damn it she was fast.

_Ya're just getting' old Dixon! _He chuckled with that thought. That was probably true.

She barreled around a curve in the trail that went sharply around a huge tree. She crashed right into someone on the other side and they both fell to the ground scrambling to catch themselves.

Beth had landed on top of them, and before she knew it she had the barrel of a gun in her face.

"Wow Carl, look like ya've seen a ghost or somethin'" she laughed "Thought ya'd be a little happier to see me!"

The gun lowered as they both got up to their feet.

"B…Beth?!" Carl said, trying to wrap his brain around what had just happened. He had seen a ghost, or at least that's what he thought.

"Yep, it's me!" she beamed, "Looks like ya're not the only one who can survive a gun shot." She reached up and tousled his hair.

He reached out and slung his arms around her in a tight embrace, he wasn't sure what else to do, and words had escaped him in that moment.

Just then Daryl rounded the corner on one side, Glenn and Michonne on the other.

"Carl, what's going on over here?! Are you o…" Michonne froze when she realized who she was looking at.

They all stood there just staring at each other for a long while.

It was Glenn that broke the silence. "How…how are you even here?" he stumbled "I mean….you were dead Beth! I carried your body to the car and Maggie….Oh my god! We've gotta go tell Maggie!"

He was frantic by this point. He grabbed her by the arm and started dragging her back towards the direction he had come from.

"Well.. it sure is nice to see you too Glenn!" she joked, laughing a little.

He stopped. "Geez Beth I'm sorry. It's just that Maggie has been depressed since you died.. well since we thought you were dead." He was sincere with his words. She could see the hurt he had behind his eyes when he spoke about her sister.

"Let's go then" she smiled "I'm ready to see everybody too!"

They started back on the path they were on. Glenn and Beth took the lead with Carl right behind them. Michonne fell to the back, she was glad to see that Daryl had made it back to the group. She knew he would be fine on his own, but it was nice to have a kindred spirit there with her.

They didn't have to speak really; both of them knew how to convey what they needed to through their eyes. They were very similar in that way. She knew something was different with him now, he seemed lighter and the way he was watching Beth, she knew the girl had something to do with his new demeanor.

They glanced at each other and she gave him a knowing nod, just to let him know that she got it, she understood.

With that they kept following behind Glenn until they finally reached the outer gate of the place the family had been staying.

Beth dropped back to walked with Daryl while Glenn, Carl and Michonne lead the way through the second gate and up onto the walkway that goes into a building.

They watched as the three of them disappeared into the structure.

Glenn was beaming as he stepped into the building that they had made their home for the last couple of days.

"Guys we came across some people while we were out there." Glen started.

"People? Are ya'll alright?!" Maggie asked as she slowly walked over to him from the corner where she had been sitting. She truly was concerened.

"Yeah, yeah we're fine. We brought them back with us." Carl continued.

"You brought them back?! What the hell were ya'll thinkin'?!" Rick snarled. "You let them do this?!" he shifted his gaze from Glenn and Carl to Michonne. She was supposed to be the voice of reason with them.

Nobody could blame him, none of them had had much luck when it came to meeting new people in this new world. They were all a little on edge at the thought that there were strangers brought back to their current safe place.

"I think you'll want to see them first." Michonne said matter-of-factly.

Glenn reached over and pushed the door open enough for Daryl to step in.

Everyone was shocked to see him again. They hadn't known what had happened to him, well no one except Rick. He had an idea of what was going on with him, which was why there hadn't been any effort to go out looking for Daryl.

Carol pushed past everyone and ran right up to him. She had tears streaming down her face as she wrapped him up in a tight embrace, almost the same way he had done with her after she had blown Terminus up.

Once she released him, Rick stepped up reaching out grasping one of Daryl's hands as if he were going to shake his hand. Then he pulled him in and wrapped his other arm around Daryl's shoulder.

"Ya alright brother? Were ya able to clear your mind out there…find what ya were lookin' for?" he was quiet, but everyone had crowded around so close, they all heard him, even if they weren't sure what Rick meant by that.

Daryl threw his head back, motioning behind him. "Yeah, found exactly what I needed." He said, grinning slightly.

Then Beth stepped out from the shadows behind him and there was a collective gasp as all the air seemed to leave the whole room. They had all either watched her die or had seen her dead when Daryl carried her lifeless body out of that hospital.

Each one of them observed the others that were standing close to them, trying to gauge whether or not they were seeing things or if everyone else saw her too.

After what felt like an eternity of everyone just watching Beth, Maggie let out a surprised, "Bethy?" almost as if she didn't believe her own eyes.

Then she ran over and grabbed her sister in a hug with what felt tighter than a vice grip.

"Easy Maggie," Beth squeaked out, barely able to breath in her sister's embrace, "less ya want me to die from lack of breathin'."

"That's not very funny little sister!" Maggie had started crying too. She stepped back, grabbing Beth by the hand.

"We've got a lot of catching up to do!" Maggie continued, pulling be over to the blanket she had been curled up on in the corner of the room.

**AN: Yay! They found the family. Things will get awkward when it comes time to explain what is so different between them now. Of course, Rick and Michonne have some idea, and I don't think either of them will have much of a problem with it. We'll see how everyone else responds.**

**Also, Beth won't let Maggie off very easy for not looking for her before. There will be some sister tension coming up.**

**Thank you all so much for your continued support. I know it has been a longer than usual break between this chapter and my last one, but I plan on posted at least two more updates this week (before the MSP). **

**And a side note to any of you who have also been reading my AU Maid for You, I will be updating that story tomorrow.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Blazing Heart**

**Chapter 13**

The Greene girls sat over in the corner gossiping and getting each other up to speed on what had been going on while they were apart. They were sitting facing each other with their legs crisscrossed, knees touching.

"So who's that?" Beth questioned as she cut her eyes over to where Abraham, Rosita and Eugene were sitting.

"Well that's Rosita, she's with the big guy, and he's Abraham. Me and Glenn had been on a mission with them since not long after I finally found him. "Maggie started, "That weird guy, that's Eugene. He was supposed to be some kinda scientist that was gonna help cure this thing. Turns out he lied."

Beth didn't let on that anything was bothering her, but she noticed Maggie had hinted at the fact that she had been looking for Glenn after the prison fell. She hadn't even been at the hospital for the exchange that was supposed to get her back with her family. Obviously she hadn't been looking for her at all. Beth had sort of figured that when Daryl had told her how he and Carol had come following that car and found Noah. He hadn't mentioned Maggie helping him look for her.

"That is Tara, she her sister got twisted up with the Governor, but her and Glenn helped each other after the prison." Maggie kept talking. "God, Beth! I can't even believe I'm talking to ya right now."

She squeezed her sister's hand.

"So tell me what's happened to ya since ya've been gone." Maggie urged her.

"Well, I ended up back in that hospital not knowin' who I was" Beth started "Guess that's cause I got shot in the head, ya know." She joked, giggling a little but her sister didn't seem to find it as amusing as she did.

"Daryl came in there going crazy, I had never seen him that pissed off before," Beth continued "He helped me get outta there." She stopped herself from revealing too much, even though Maggie was her sister, she didn't think she would understand some of the things her and Daryl had done in that hell hole, that was their secret with each other.

"Anyway," she said, realizing she had paused for a long time, rethinking what they had done, "It's just been the two of us since then." She couldn't help the look that flushed over her face when she thought about how things had changed so much between the two of them in the time they had been together.

Maggie saw it too. It was the same look Beth used to tease her on when she talked about Glenn and how much she loved him.

_Why would my baby sister have that look when she talked about spending time with Daryl? _

She knew the answer to that question before she even asked herself. Her sister was in love with Daryl Dixon.

_How? Why?_

Those questions she didn't know how to answer; only Beth could do that.

"BETH!" she scowled. "You don't think you love him do you?!"

Beth's cheeks flushed red. "Umm.. uh.. What are ya talkin' about Maggie?" she stuttered, not really sure the best way to answer her sister.

"Don't ya lie to me little sister," Maggie strained "I can see it all over your face!"

Beth shook her head up and down, signaling a "yes" to answer Maggie. She seemed mad and Beth wasn't really sure why, she almost felt like she was that little girl she used to be on the farm and her daddy was yelling at her.

"How?! Beth why?!" Maggie blurted. She had a look of disgust on her face.

Beth sat there for a minute, trying to compose her thoughts. Who was her sister to tell her she shouldn't love him. Shouldn't… that was the same word Daryl had used, that they shouldn't be together. He had said that because he thought he wasn't good enough for her. Is that what Maggie thought? That Daryl wasn't good enough for her?!

That thought infuriated her. She had fought him hard to get him to realize he was perfect for her and she was not going to let her selfish sister make them feel like it was wrong.

She lifted her head and faced her sister again. Her eyes looked like there was a fire burning behind them.

"That man means more to me that anyone left in this world. I will not sit here and let you make me feel like what we have is wrong!" Beth fumed.

"Beth he can't be good for you, he.." Maggie tried to say, but Beth cut her off.

"Maggie I don't believe you can rightly tell me what is and isn't good for me! Ya say you love me and ya missed me, but ya didn't even come looking for me!" Beth was shouting by this point, drawing everyone's attention to them.

"But I…" Maggie still couldn't get a word in edgewise. So she sat back with a strange look on her face. She had never seen such fierceness in her sister's eyes before.

"Don't try to make excuses Maggie! I'm your sister for Christ's sake! I'm the only blood relative ya have left an' ya gave up on me. Ya just figured I was dead!" Beth was sure she had steam coming out of her ears by now. "Ya figured I wouldn't have made it on my own, that I was just another dead girl!"

"B-Beth I didn't…" Maggie got out before Beth started in again.

"Look, ya did what ya needed to do, ya went lookin' for Glenn. I get that kind of love now. I have that with Daryl, we have somethin' special." she broke her stare for a brief moment to look over at Daryl across the room.

"I won't have ya tryin' to make me or him feel like we shouldn't be together." Her voice was lowering slightly. "You outta all people should understand what it feels like to find the other half of you, the part that makes you feel complete."

"Beth…I..I'm sorry." Maggie stammered, she was still in shock at her sister's outburst.

It wasn't enough though. Beth was still angry as she stood up and stormed out the door to get some fresh air leaving her sister sitting there with a dumbfounded look on her face.

Maggie had never seen that type of fight in Beth before, her sister had changed. She was stronger.

Daryl had stepped off to the side with Rick and Michonne after Maggie pulled Beth over to catch up or whatever it was they were gossiping about. He stayed where he could keep her within his line of sight; it was a habit he figured.

"So she's alive." Rick said, stating the obvious. "That's amazin'! Was worried about ya man."

Daryl grunted, "What cha worryin' bout me for?" Then he shifted his gaze back over to Beth.

"I saw how hard ya took her gettin' shot there at that hospital," Rick said, "I remember feelin' somethin' similar to that after Lori."

"Mhmm" Daryl mumbled, only breaking his stare at Beth for a second to acknowledge Rick. "I don't think ya know what cha talkin' bout Rick."

Michonne's stoic face cracked into a toothy grin. Rick chuckled a little. They knew he wouldn't talk about it, but both of them knew. Rick had seen it in him before and they both could see that there was something different about him now.

He could hardly take his eyes off her, and he seemed almost happy under the surly attitude he used to fool everyone else.

He was still watching her when he recognized a familiar fire rise up in her eyes.

_Oh no! _he thought. _She's pissed off about somethin'. _He found a slight relief in the fact that it was not him she was about to go off on. He could just stand back and watch from across the room and enjoy the view. She was fucking gorgeous when she was flying off the handle. She was kinda like a firework in that way. It was dangerous as hell to light her fuse, but it sure was amazing to watch when she blew up.

Her words kept getting louder until everyone in the room was looking to the corner where her and Maggie were sitting. She quieted just a little before she jumped up and ran out the door.

He didn't hesitate to go to her. He knew she would need him to just be there for her, she found comfort in him somehow, even if he still didn't understand it. He would not deny her that comfort.

Besides, he needed some fresh air too, now that she'd outted them in front of the whole family. The air in the building seemed like it had thickened since they got there.

"BETH!" he called out as he ran after her.

She had barreled out the door and run towards the inner fence. He finally caught up to her when she stopped and leaned up against another small building that stood on its own a decent distance away from the main building everyone else was staying in.

They were both panting, out of breath.

"You…..okay?" Daryl forced the words out between breaths. She was standing with her back against the building, while he was propping himself up with his arms extended and his hands on either side of her head.

She looked up, locking eyes with him. Shaking her head no, she said, "But, I will be." Then her lips curved up into a devious grin.

He didn't know what she had planned, but he knew he was in trouble.

She hooked her fingers through his belt loops and tugged him in closer until his body was pressed firmly against hers.

She ran her hands up from where they started at his belt loops up under his shirt gliding her fingers over the hard plane of his stomach. His body truly was amazing to her.

She let her hands continue trailing up, resting them flat on his chest. She could feel his heart pounding as she pushed up on her tip toes and pressed her lips against his.

The softness of her touch caused his temperature twenty degrees, he was sure of it. Then when she claimed his lips in a passionate kiss, she sent him up in flames.

He knew the only thing keeping his heart from beating its way out of his body was her hand pressed tightly against his chest.

She let her tongue flick out from between her slightly parted lips, gently licking at his closed mouth, protesting for admission. He complied, allowing her tongue to pass into his mouth where it tangled with his, dancing back and forth in a struggle for power and neither one was winning.

He lowered his hands from their positions up near her head. One dropping to her waist, squeezing lightly, and the other resting on her neck, his thumb tracing her jawline and his fingers twisting through her hair.

She let out a faint moan, breaking the kiss as she dipped her head back towards the wall, arching her back a little. This left her neck fully exposed to him.

He paused momentarily, thinking to himself that he should know better. Now was not the time for them to be doing this. He had told her he wanted to take things slow, but damn it, he wanted this as much as she did and he'd be lying if he said he had the willpower to stop this now.

Then he leaned in and claimed the velvety soft skin of her neck, just below her ear. She gasped for air, her breathing coming in irregular pants, as he swirled his tongue around, tasting the sweet and saltiness of her. He could swear she was the best thing he had ever tasted in his life.

Her breath hitched when he started to nibble gently, nipping at her earlobe.

She let out sigh as she dropped her hands down from his chest, out from under his shirt to his belt buckle. She was shaking, from nervousness or excitement or anticipation, she wasn't sure, but it was making it rather difficult to complete the task at hand.

A chuckle escaped from deep down in his throat, her eagerness what amazing to him. That and he was quite surprised that zipper of his pants was still intact. He felt enough pressure had built up behind it that it could give way at any moment.

Just as she finally managed to get the belt undone and began fumbling with the button of his pants, he heard it.

"Daryl!" the voice was yelling. He couldn't quite make out who it was yet.

"Daryl!" it was getting closer.

_Fucking Glenn! _Daryl thought. _He's got the worst damn timing._

"Yeah. What is it?" he growled.

"Rick wants to talk to everybod-" Glenn froze as he rounded the corner, coming up behind Daryl where he still stood in front of Beth. "Oh..I..uh..sorry man. Rick just wanted you to be there."

" Ok, gimme a minute." Daryl said, never turning around to face the other man. "Be right there."

"Sure." Glenn mumbled, turning to head back to the main building.

Then he spun around on his heels, a couple yards away.

"Just one more thing Daryl," he shouted, "You _comin_'?"

With that, he could hardly contain himself as he nearly fell to the ground laughing.

"Fuck you Glenn!" Daryl growled. He couldn't help but let out a short laugh himself. He figured he'd deserved that one.

**AN: First off, I realized that I didn't credit the song I had Beth singing in the last chapter. It was "Over Anticipate" by Emily Kinney. (I absolutely love her, BTW).**

**So Beth is pissed at Maggie and Maggie sees that her sister is now much stronger and will not be pushed around. **

**Bethyl **_**almost **_**went there. Sorry, I couldn't let them go all the way just yet. I have a plan for how that will happen and it needs a little more time. I am fairly certain it will be worth the wait, so don't kill me. **

**Thanks so much for the reviews and follows and favorites I have gotten since last chapter. It means so much to me that people enjoy what I am doing. So please stop and leave a review on your way out, good or bad. I definitely accept constructive criticism. **


	14. Chapter 14

**Blazing Heart**

**Chapter 14**

Rick's important meeting had consisted of him working out a plan for a supply run the next day. Daryl was frustrated that he and Beth had been interrupted for that, but he was also kind of glad that they were.

It wasn't that he didn't _want _her in that way, 100% without a doubt he did, but he just didn't want it to happen like that. Not outside, up against a dirty building, it just wasn't right for someone like her. She deserved better than that, probably deserved better than him but for reasons that he still didn't understand, she wanted him.

He decided for now, he would keep a little more distance between them, at least until he could figure out how he could pull off what he was wanting to do.

That night he volunteered himself for night watch. Beth had slept inside in a small office they had designated as Judith's room. It was strange not having her curled up into his chest, there was a distinct warmth missing.

As much as he would have rather been inside, wrapped around her as they slept, he knew this was the only way he could keep things from going too far, too fast. He had something he needed to do before he let that happen.

* * *

><p>Beth could have choked Glenn for ruining the moment between her and Daryl. He was finally getting into it, without second guessing himself. He was just going with it and letting things happen.<p>

Now he was just being distant again. He had been volunteering himself for night watch every night for the last two weeks or so. He went on every run they had done during the day too. She hadn't been able to get him alone or even really talk to him since that first night. It was eating at her that he had reverted back to his old self with her, she had expected him to be that way with everyone else but she didn't think he would shut her out again.

She couldn't for the life of her figure out why either. No one had given it a second thought when she had all but announced their love to the whole family when she was screaming at Maggie. No one had really cared at all except her sister.

Then she thought about it and she had seen Maggie talking to Daryl a couple of days after Glenn popped up on them. Her blood began to boil just thinking of what Maggie might have said to him and how that might be part of the reason he had backed off. She knew Glenn probably blabbed to Maggie what he was walked up on them doing before the door even had time to close behind him all the way.

She could feel the blood rushing to her face and ears as her anger built with each passing second. She had told her sister to butt out and not to go making Daryl feel like he was wrong for feeling like he did about her. The more she thought about it, the more she convinced herself that Maggie had done exactly what she had insisted that she not do.

She couldn't take this anymore, she couldn't take her sister treating her like a child, like she needed someone to tell her what was safe and what to stay away from, like she needed a chaperone, like she didn't know what she was doing with Daryl.

She rose up from the floor where she had been sitting, playing with Judith. She motioned to Carol to get her to keep an eye on the baby while she went outside.

She stalked around the yard until she located Maggie, clearing walkers from the fences.

She grabbed her sister's shoulder and spun her around to get her attention.

"What the hell Beth!" Maggie squealed. She was caught off guard, she hadn't spoken to her sister since the first night and she could tell she was pissed.

"I need to know what exactly ya told Daryl the other night." Beth seethed. "I need to know what ya said to make him not wanna even be near me anymore."

Maggie took a couple steps back, she looked like she was thinking, contemplating how to answer the question.

"Glenn told me what he saw that first night." she avoided the question, "Bethy, have ya'll…" she let that question trail off and linger there between them.

Beth shook her head. "No we haven't! If ya must know, he had been a perfect gentleman until that point, he was just startin' ta give in when yer husband interrupted!"

Maggie giggled. This infuriated her sister even more. Her face had turned as red as a fire engine. Her hands were balling up into fists by her sides.

Beth reached up with both hands and shoved her sister hard enough to knock her into the fence.

"I ain't said a damn thing funny Maggie!" she screamed. "And ya didn't answer my question. Did ya tell him to stay away from me or try to make him think it was wrong?! So help me God if ya did that Maggie…."

"I swear I didn't say anything bad to him." Maggie cut her off, afraid if she didn't, she was going to end up in a fist fight with her baby sister. "He actually came to talk to me. I get it now Beth. I know he loves ya like he should and I can see that he makes ya happy."

This threw Beth off for a second. Did she just say that she was ok with them? If she didn't scare him off then why was he being so distant? She would have to try a little harder to get him alone when he got back later.

She turned her attention back to her sister when she realized she was still giggling, almost uncontrollably now.

"What's so funny anyway?" the anger was starting to melt away a little.

"Just that I never thought I'd see my baby sister so..so sexually frustrated." She squeaked out between laughs.

Beth dropped down beside her on the ground. She cracked a smile at Maggie.

"Yeah, if only I'd fallen for someone who wasn't such a gentleman." She started. "Maybe if I'd found someone who would just do me in a dirty run down pharmacy."

"HEY!" Maggie cried. "I'll have ya know that the whole thing was my idea, Glenn didn't have much choice in the matter!"

With that they both fell into fits of laughter. They had missed this; they both missed each other and being able to talk about things like this. Of course Maggie had always done most of the talking about this type thing, but now Beth had something to contribute too.

They were glad to have each other back; it was no fun when they were fighting.

* * *

><p>The mood was lighter around their camp now that the girls were back on good terms. They had been nearly inseparable. They had stuck together the rest of the day and for the next several after that. Beth had even talked to her about what she should do to get Daryl's attention.<p>

Her sister had brought her back inside and pulled out a cute little dress from one of her packs. It was white with little yellow flowers on it.

Beth raised her eyebrow as she looked it over. It was very pretty, but she was a little confused.

Recognizing the questioning glance, Maggie said, "Shut up, I know it's stupid, but when I saw it I thought it was pretty an' I thought maybe I'd have an occasion to wear it."

Beth nodded in understanding. She, out of everyone, appreciated trying to keep hopefulness alive.

"Figured this would be a good use for it. Maybe ya can get Dixon to talk to ya, he sure as hell won't be able to keep his eyes off ya in this." Maggie smiled, handing the dress to her sister.

Beth grinned as she took it and went into the small room she had been sharing with Judith to change.

The family would be back any time now, it was starting to get dark. She wanted to be ready when Daryl got back, they needed to figure this thing out. She couldn't take not sleeping next to him every night and not being able to just talk to him or wrap her arms around him whenever she felt like it.

She slipped into the light fabric of the sundress and went back out to Maggie.

"Looks amazing little sister!" Maggie beamed as she twirled her around in circles.

Beth looked on as Maggie began to pull out several different compacts with makeup in them. She turned to Beth and began to apply them to her face. She had foundation and eye shadow and blush and lipstick.

"Maggie," Beth began to question. "What is all this? I believed ya when ya said you picked up the dress but make-up ain't really your thing, never really has been. What exactly is going on here?"

Maggie scrambled to her mind to try and figure out the best way to dodge that question without ruining anything.

"Just be quiet girl" Daryl's voice startled them both. "Ya'll mess up the surprise."

Both girls spun around to see where he was.

He was leaned up against the frame of the door with one foot crossed over the other, propped up on the toe. Beth found it strange that he was wearing different clothes than the ones he had left in this morning, and even stranger when she realized they were clean clothes. Like really clean clothes, fresh from a store or something. He had combed his hair and cleaned up really nice.

He was wearing a black button down shirt and a nice pair of jeans. Even his boots looked new.

"Daryl what…." She started.

But he cut her off, "Don't ask any more questions. Jus' let Maggie finish with ya, she knows what to do with ya after that." Then he disappeared out the door.

Beth so confused that she decided it best to just comply with his request, or demand, she wasn't really sure which it was at this point.

Maggie finished up and beamed at Beth.

"Can't believe ya knew about this an' didn't even tell me!" She scolded.

Maggie giggled, "Trust me, I wanted to tell ya! But I think ya will like this more if it's a surprise."

She grabbed Beth's hand and pulled her towards the door.

Daryl was there on the porch type landing wait on them. He took her hand from Maggie's and pulled her down, walking towards the yard out in front.

"Want ya to come with me." He said. "I got somethin' special I wanna show ya."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: First of all, I am so sorry this has taken 2 weeks to update. I have been battling some serious writer's block with this story. I think it might be because I sort of have an end game for this one. I'm thinking it will only be a couple more chapters before it's done. They will be longer than this one, I know it is short but I wanted to get something out for you.<strong>

**Please let me know what you think.**

**Thank you**** until next time. **


	15. Chapter 15

**Blazing Heart **

**Chapter 15**

The pair walked around the front of the building over to a tree on one side of the yard. The first thing that struck Beth as odd what the fact that there were lights strung up in the lower branches of the tree.

She figured they must be battery powered or solar powered or something but what she couldn't figure out is why they were there in the first place. She was so focused on the lights that she didn't notice Daryl come to a stop at the base of the tree and she bumped right into his back.

"Oh! I'm sorry." She mumbled, letting her gaze fall from the tree to the man in front of her, now turned to so that they were facing each other.

" 'S okay." He said, "Knew ya'd be surprised." He ducked his head down a little, peaking at her through his shaggy mop of hair as it brushed over his eyes.

He flashed her a small smirk as he turned back towards the tree. When he moved, she could see there was a short, makeshift table sitting behind him, but she couldn't tell what was on it.

When he turned back to her, he had a handful of bright yellow, orange and white flowers. They were artificial, but she didn't mind at all. They were beautiful and this must be a date. Daryl Dixon had surprised her with a date.

Her heart pounding like a sledgehammer against her rib cage.

"These are for yo…." He started, but he paused when he saw the look on her face.

His eyes dropped to the ground by his boots and the hand that was extended with the bouquet lowered slowly to his side.

"Told Maggie this was a stupid idea. I knew it'd never work." He mumbled, half to himself, half under his breath. She was sure that he hadn't meant for her to hear it.

"Daryl," she said softly, reaching out to touch his hand and take the flowers from him. "This is great. They are beautiful and you are amazing."

He brought his eyes back up to hers and she flashed him that smile that always made him melt in his own skin.

"Ya really mean that Beth?" he questioned shyly, no one ever complimented him like her.

"Course I do Daryl." She replied, stepping in closer and running her hand up, caressing his cheek.

He leaned into her touch; it had been so long, nearly three weeks since they had been this close. He found that he truly did miss it, missed her, but he knew if he let her get close in that time that he would have ruined his surprise and probably would have let things go too far between them.

"Now what were ya mumblin' about Maggie for?" she asked, genuinely confused.

"Oh…umm..well..uh.." he stuttered.

"May as well jus' tell me now." She said, matter-of-factly. "Ya know I'll get it out of ya soon enough anyway." A grin stretched across her features.

He knew she was right. He wouldn't be able to keep anything from her too long, especially not this. He shook his head and ran his rough hand down over his face.

"Well, see Maggie helped me plan this whole thing out." He started, gesturing his hands around them and up to the lights in the tree, then back to the flowers in her hand.

"We planned out this whole night an' everythin'" he continued, "Really she did all the plannin', I was jus' along for the ride I think." He chuckled at that.

Beth laughed a little. "So ya mean to tell me that my big sister plotted out our first date?"

She watched his reaction as she waited for him to respond. When what felt like several minutes passed without an answer, although it was probably only a couple of seconds, she began to panic. What if this wasn't a date, what if it was something else, but she couldn't think of what else it might be. It had to be a date right? Now her palms were getting sweaty and her heart felt like it had jumped right up into her throat.

"That is what this is right?" she squeaked out. "A date?"

She waited nervously as he opened his mouth to answer.

" 'S somethin' like that." He replied.

Now he was the one who looked like he could almost crawl out of his skin.

"Look," he started cautiously. "I went an' talked to Maggie a few days after Glenn…_caught_ us."

He then went on to tell her all the details of their conversation.

* * *

><p><em>He'd been avoiding the Greene sisters like the plague the last several days. Now he was seeking one of the out, and not the one that he had expected to want to see just yet. He was looking for Maggie.<em>

_He'd been thinking about what he was going to say to her, how he was going to ask her what he needed to ask. He still wasn't completely sure how he was going to do it, but he couldn't wait any longer. Being away from Beth was killing him, he couldn't take it anymore._

_He found the eldest Greene sitting over to the side of the platform that they had been using as a porch. She was sitting with Glenn and sharpening her knife. Of course she was, he froze and thought for a moment if this would be the best time to approach her, but he decided it was now or never. He needed to get the out before he lost his nerve._

_Glenn looked up at him first and nodded, the biggest goofy smile plastered across his face. Daryl figured he was still gloating from catching him and Beth in a compromising position a few nights before. Daryl just scowled back at him, causing the grin to fade slightly._

_He continued over until he was standing right behind Maggie. He stood there for a moment just trying to steady his breathing so he would be able to talk._

_Letting out a deep breath he had been holding for a little while, he reached out and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and glanced up to see who was trying to get her attention. When she realized it was him, she jumped up and pushed a hand on his chest and backed him into a wall._

_He had been somewhat expecting that, so he just let it happen. She might be more willing to talk to him if he let her get her anger out first._

"_What the hell do ya think ya're doin' Dixon?!" she hissed. "Ya think I'd jus' let ya come in here an' take advantage of my baby sister?"_

"_Whoa Maggie!" Glenn said, stepping up to take the knife out of her hand. She hadn't even realized that she was holding it to Daryl's neck._

"_Look I get what this might look like to ya'll," Daryl started. "But it ain't what ya're thinkin'."_

_Maggie shook her head. "Glenn walked up on ya the other night. He told me what he saw." She said, her words still seething with hatred. "How ain't it what I KNOW it is?"_

"_I jus' mean that there is more to us then that. I really care about Beth an' she says she cares about me. I jus' want ya to know that I want more from…more for her than just what he saw the other night."_

_They stood staring at each other for the next couple of minutes, well Maggie was staring and Daryl was looking at the ground. He wasn't comfortable with the conversation in the first place, much less with the eye contact._

_She was the first to break the silence, "What exactly are yer intentions with my little sister then Dixon?"_

_He thought for a minute about how to answer her. He fidgeted with his fingers, bringing his thumbnail up and worrying it between his teeth, again. He had nearly bitten the nail and skin completely off that thumb in the last couple of days so he wasn't at all surprised when he tasted the metallic, coppery taste of blood. _

_He would rather go feed himself to the fucking walkers than stand here any longer. He just kept reminding himself that if he wanted to be with Beth, he needed to get through this conversation with her sister. _

"_Look, I know I ain't what ya pictured as bein' the man for yer sister. Hell, ya'll woulda never even looked at me twice before all this shit happened." He said, motioning his hands towards the walkers wandering around the fences. "I know ya think I ain't good enough for her, or that I'm too old, or too redneck white trash, or any other fucked up thing ya can think of that would be a reason for me to not be with her."_

_Maggie's face had changed into a look of shock, her hand had dropped from his chest and her mouth was gaping open._

"_I damn well know all the reasons I ain't good enough for somebody like Beth." He continued, "I also know that I tried to put up a fight for those very reasons, tried to not give in to her, tried to not let her get close, tried not to get close to her, I know I ain't the type ya'd ever want for her. I know she deserves better, even told her so myself, but I can also tell ya that she ain't gonna put up with hearin' that shit either. Wouldn't listen when I said it and damn sure ain't gonna listen to it from you."_

_He paused for a second, trying to gauge her reaction and reign himself in, he was breathing hard and fast and his heart was slamming itself into his ribs. She was still standing there speechless._

"_I didn't wanna let her in, let her get close, but she wouldn't have it any other way. Now that I have her, I never wanna let her go Maggie. I know how special she is an' I know what we have…" he paused, trying to catch his breath. "I know I would never have that with anyone else an' I wanna hold onto it forever, as long as she'll have me."_

_He dropped his gaze back to the ground and started toeing at a dried clump of mud between them. He didn't know where all those words had come from, it sounded like his voice that had said them but he couldn't figure out how he'd gotten that many words put together._

_When she didn't answer him for a few moments, the embarrassment began to sink in. He had put himself out there and now he couldn't take it back. He could feel the color creeping up his neck to the tips of his ears. He didn't know what he was thinking coming to try and talk to her._

_He turned and started to walk away when her hand reached out and grabbed his arm. He shrugged out of her grip but turned to see what she wanted. He was sure it was going to be some snarky comment on how everything he said was right and he didn't deserve Beth or how he looked like a dumbass for saying things like that. It would most definitely be something negative._

"_Daryl, I didn't…"Maggie started._

"_Ya don't have ta say anythin'. I know yer thinkin' I'm right." He hissed before turning to stalk away._

_Maggie rushed over until she was standing in front to stop him._

"_Look Daryl," Maggie started, a little more forcefully than she had been before. "I jus' didn't understand what ya'll could possibly have or what she could see in ya." She hung her head a little in shame with that statement. _

"_I can see now that ya must let her see tha side of ya that none of the rest of us can. Everythin' ya said back there, that's more than I've heard ya say the entire time I've know ya Daryl." She continued._

_She reached up to touch his arm. "If ya really feel that way about my Bethy, then I want ya to know that I approve, not that she woulda cared what I thought, but I guess you do." She smiled softly at him._

_A puff of air pushed its way out of his lungs, he hadn't even known he was holding it there. She was giving them her blessing. _

"_Can I ask her ta marry me then?" he asked, the words came tumbling out over his lips before he even knew what he was saying._

_Maggie's face lit up at the question. She turned into a little school girl all the sudden, her squeal was enough to bring Glenn running back to her side._

"_What's wrong?!" Glenn asked, looking back and forth between her and Daryl._

"_He wants to marry Beth!" she couldn't hide the excitement in her voice._

"_Well…" Glenn started. "Ya know Hershel once told me that 'No man is good enough for your little girl, until one is'. If he felt like I was good enough for Maggie, I know he would approve of you for Beth. He really respected you Daryl."_

"_Glenn's right. Ya have our blessin' Daryl!" Maggie said with a wide toothy grin on her face._

* * *

><p>Beth stood there just taking in his story of how he had gone to talk with Maggie. It took her a minute to register exactly what he was saying.<p>

"Whoa whoa…wait a minute." She stopped him. "Did you jus' say that ya asked my sister if we could get married?!" She couldn't hide her excitement. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins and her heart was running like a race horse around a track.

He froze where he was standing. He had been planning this whole thing out for the last couple of weeks and now it was here and he couldn't hold himself together.

He was sweating bullets, hands were shaking like leaves in the wind and his heart felt like it just might explode. His mind had so many thoughts flickering through it that he didn't think he could piece together a coherent sentence at this point.

But here she was standing in front of him, excitedly awaiting his answer and even if he didn't know what to say, he had to say something.

He fumbled with something in his pocket and then said, "Uh..I.. umm," he shook his head to try and get himself together. "Yeah Beth, I do want that. I know it's the end of the world an' everythin's gone to hell an' it prolly don't mean the same thing anymore but ya taught me that it's ok to have hope and to believe the best in people. I never wanna lose ya. Beth I love ya."

Once he started talking, he was just rambling on and she couldn't help but think just how adorable he looked all flustered like that. She smiled and pushed herself up on her tiptoes so she could reach to plant a kiss right on his lips, she had to shut him up so she could give him her answer.

"Course I'll be yer wife Mr. Dixon," She said, "never wanted to be anyone else's."

"Yeah?" he asked, not sure he had really heard her right.

"Yes Daryl." She replied leaning into him wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing a sweet kiss to his cheek.

He snaked his arms around her to return the hug and nearly dropped what he was holding in his hand.

"Damn!" he grunted as he dropped his arms, fumbling to catch it.

She had that look of confusion plastered back on her face once again.

"Daryl, what in the world…." She started. "Oh my gosh!" She clapped her hands up over her mouth. Tears that had already welled up in her eyes began to fall freely as she took in the sight of what was in front of her.

He had pulled his hands out from behind her and laying in one of his palms was a small white gold or silver looking ring. It had a delicate little heart-shaped yellow diamond set in the center with smaller white/clear diamonds sparkling on either side of it. It was gorgeous and she knew she would have never even dreamed of something that beautiful even before the turn. It was so her and it was so perfect.

She let her hands reach for his open one and her fingers ghost lightly over the ring in his palm.

He ran his other hand up and scrubbed it over the back of his neck, trying to relieve the tension there.

"I know it ain't much." He said in a voice so low she couldn't tell if he was talking to her or himself. " 'S all I could find an' 's the only one that reminded me of ya."

He dropped his gaze from her to the ground again. She stepped a little closer so that she could get right under his line of sight.

"It's perfect!" she assured him. "Now put it on my finger Dixon!"

He fidgeted with it, trying to get pick it up between his fingers. His hands were shaking so much, he nearly dropped it again, but he finally pushed it onto her finger.

She kept her left hand resting in his and brought her right hand up to push his hair out of his eyes so she could see him better.

She was still somewhat in shock of what had just happened. She had thought she was losing him just an hour ago and now here he was proposing to her, giving her a ring and promising her forever. It was almost more than her emotions could take. Her body and her brain were on overload. She was so unbelievably happy that she couldn't help but cry.

"Ya sure this is what ya want?" he said, almost in a mumble because he voice was shaking as much as his hands had been before. "Ya sure _I'm_ what ya want?"

He locked his eyes on her, waiting for her response, watching for any sign of uncertainty. He could never go through with it if she wasn't absolutely sure. He waited for her to waiver, to look the least bit unsure, to drop her gaze from him even for a split second but he found none of that in her.

"Daryl," she started. "I have never been more sure of anything in my entire life. You are it for me and no matter how long we have left in this mess of a world we call life now, I want every second of it to be with you."

It wasn't really clear who started the kiss after that, probably a combination of the two moving towards each other, but it was sweet, slow and filled with more love than either of them had ever felt before.

For the first time, Daryl felt like this was right, everything they were or could be was right and he honestly felt at ease in that very moment.

He was the first to break the kiss though, grabbing her hand and leading her towards the back of the compound they had been calling home.

She should have been questioning what they were doing walking around the yard again, but she was too busy trying to process the events that had just taken place, running her fingers over the cool metal of the ring that was now on her finger.

When they were just about to round the corner to the back yard of the compound, he stopped abruptly again. She ran right into him again.

"If yer absolutely sure this is what ya want," he blurted out before she could mumble another apology, "then I have one more thing I need ta show ya."

He stepped around the corner and pulled her up so she could see the surprise.

She gasped and clapped her hands up over her mouth for the second time that evening. This surprise was even better than the first one.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Sorry, I know it's been a while but we've had a week's worth of snow days and with my child at home it's hard to find time to write.<strong>

**Anyways, here it is. The big surprise! At least one of them **

**Please let me know what you think. I love the feedback**.


	16. Chapter 16

**Blazing Heart**

**Chapter 16**

She could not believe what she was seeing when they turned that corner.

More strings of lights hung around the yard. There was a random array of chairs that had been gathered from the building and lined up in in two sections and almost the whole family was seated in them.

There were flowers tied at the end of each row of chairs. They were yellow, orange and white just like the bouquet Daryl had just given her a short time before.

As she allowed her gaze to continue up between the two sections of chairs she noticed at the end there were lights shaped in what looked almost like an arch underneath some trees. In the middle of that makeshift arch Father Gabriel stood, clutching his old worn Bible.

Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. This was a wedding, _their _wedding.

Daryl reached over cupping her face and brushing her tears away with his thumbs. She hadn't even realized that she was crying until that moment.

"Beth are ya sure this is what ya want?". He asked, unable to mask the doubt he was feeling at her reaction.

She couldn't even manage to get any words out right then so she just shook her head.

"Why are ya cryin'?". Now he was just confused.

She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips at the sight of him. His eyebrows had furrowed and she could see the confusion in his eyes. He genuinely could not understand why she was crying.

"Happy tears Daryl." She told him, motioning towards her face and flashing him the biggest smile she could in that moment.

"Never seen nobody cry from bein' happy." He replied. "Guess that's alright though cause I never met nobody like ya either."

He leaned in a pressed a sweet kiss to her lips. She was sure her heart was going to melt right there were they stood. This man of hers was just perfect for her. Even when he didn't know what to do, he always did exactly what she needed him to do.

"So we're really doin' this?" she questioned. "Right now?"

He rubbed his thumbs over the backs of her hands and locked his eyes on hers. She would swear that her entire body melted every time he looked at her like that. He could say everything she needed to hear through those piercing glances, he didn't even need to use words most of the time.

"Alright then Mr. Dixon," she started, nodding her head towards the makeshift wedding set-up, "Let's do this then, I'm ready." Then she flashed him a smile bigger than any he had ever seen before.

He nodded his head. "Ya gotta wait here first." He told her then he turned to walk towards Father Gabriel.

"But Daryl…"she said, taking a couple steps so she could reach out for his arm.

He spun around to face her. It was now her face that was twisted and furrowed in confusion.

"Look Maggie said I had ta leave ya here to wait," he explained, " 'M jus' followin' orders." He grinned at her with that little half smile that he never let anyone else see, not on purpose anyway, the one that was reserved just for her.

She shook her head and laughed a little to herself as he continued on his way up to the front to take his place next to the pastor. She could see his nervousness from where she stood, could see him wringing his hands together in anticipation. She knew how uncomfortable he had to have been standing up there with everyone's eyes on him. He was not one to want to be the center of attention, he'd rather have been shot in the foot, she knew that so for him to endure all this for her was amazing.

She had been shocked that he had even asked in the first place but then to see that he had even planned out the whole thing, with a ton of help from Maggie she was sure, had nearly knocked her off her feet.

This crazy, wonderful, stubborn, amazing man was perfect and he was all hers, wanted to be all hers forever. She couldn't believe how incredibly lucky that she was to have found this completely amazing love even after the world had gone to hell.

She had believed in soul mates before the turn but after she figured that was just some stupid fairy tale non-sense. She thought it had been hard enough to find your happily ever after without the dead coming back to try and eat your face off, there was no way you could find love with the world like it was now. Sure her sister and Glenn had, but she had thought that was just a fluke.

Now here she stood, about to marry the man that held the other half of her heart, the part that made her complete, and she couldn't help but think that the world had fallen apart so that they could find each other. Some twisted version of fate.

"Ya ready baby sister?" Maggie's voice broke through her thoughts and brought her back to reality.

Her sister had changed into a dress too and she was standing there in front of her with tears streaming down her cheeks and a big toothy grin stretched across her face.

"Oh Mags!" Beth laughed, reaching up to brush the dampness off her sister's face, "Look at us! We're a mess!"

Both girls giggled. They knew they must have been quite a sight, all dressed up makeup done and blubbering all over each other.

"So I guess you're gonna give me away then?" Beth asked, smiling slightly.

Maggie nodded, tilting her head a little. "I jus' thought, y' know, since daddy…" her voice trailed off and her eyes dropped to the ground.

"I think that's nice Maggie. Thank you." Beth told her. "Now let's get goin'! I don't wanna wait any longer."

The girls giggled again. Then they linked arms and began the slow walk up towards Daryl.

After several steps in silence, Beth asked, "Do ya think he would've approved? Of me an' Daryl?" She cocked her head to the side to look at her sister.

Maggie nodded her head and then said, "Yeah Bethy, I thnk he would. He really respected Daryl, knew he was a good man. Whatever good ya see in him, daddy did too. He'd be happy I think."

Beth breathed a sigh of relief. She had always felt like her daddy would've been happy for her, but it helped to hear it from someone else who knew him as well as she did.

With that she turned her focus back up to Daryl, realizing that his gaze was fixed on her as well. She locked her eyes on his and never moved them as she made her way to him. She'd just have to trust that Maggie wouldn't let her run into anything on the way.

* * *

><p>As he stood there waiting, he was tense, his nervousness was probably hard to miss. Standing up there like he was on display or some shit was not something he would have normally done. This was for Beth though, and he would do anything for her.<p>

He started ringing his hands as he held them in front of him. He had to remind himself to breath, that he could do this, he wanted to do this. He knew he wanted this just as much as she did and if dealing with the stares from his family is what he had to deal with to do it then that is what he would do.

That didn't stop him from cursing Maggie under his breath, she was as slow as damn molasses and if she didn't hurry the hell up he was gonna…..

He caught movement at the far end of the makeshift aisle. Finally they were coming towards him. Even though he had seen Beth only minutes before, the sight of her was still enough to cause his breath to catch in his chest. She was beautiful, she was like an angel coming towards him and he couldn't help but wonder what he had even done to deserve someone as amazing as her.

He couldn't for the life of him figure out what she was doing with him or why she would want to be with him for the rest of her life. He did know though, that he would spend the rest of his making sure that she knew just how grateful he was for every second he got to be with her.

In that moment, his eyes caught hers and they locked into each other. It was then that his hands dropped back down to his sides and the tension in his whole body released. He was able to relax, really for the first time that evening.

Everything and everyone else faded out into a blur. The only thing in focus to him was Beth, nothing else mattered except her and in that moment she was all he could see.

* * *

><p>Before either of them realized it, the girls had crossed the entire distance of the aisle and were standing right at the end of it.<p>

Father Gabriel spoke and brought both of them back into the moment with everyone else.

"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" he asked, as if this was something he had said a hundred times before, and truthfully, he probably had.

"I do!" Maggie blurted, maybe a little more enthusiastic than she had intended.

The whole family chuckled a little at her excitement. She stepped forward, placing Beth's hand into Daryl's before she kissed her on the cheek and mad her way to sit right there in the front beside Glenn.

They stood there in front of the crowd, both hands clasped between them, only seeing each other once again as the preacher began to speak again.

"Once upon a time, there was somewhat of a script I would have followed for a ceremony such as this." He began, everyone looking at him with a little confusion. They figured with him being a man of God he would have conducted this wedding in the traditional, old world way.

"This world has now turned into something that none of us would have ever dreamed of before. Nothing is the same as it was and I don't feel that I should try to stick to my conventions with everything either. " he continued, everyone still a little concerned with where he was going with this, everyone except Beth and Daryl.

"Anyway, we are all gathered here today as a random group of survivors that have somehow managed to find each other and band together as a family. For some of us, this family has given us a second chance at life, a way to not only survive but to form unbreakable bonds with each other that never would have happened before this." He paused for a moment.

Beth rubbed her thumbs over Daryl's fingers as they lay in her hands, reminding him to breathe, she was sure he had been holding his breath the entire time Father Gabriel was speaking.

"These two people here in front of us," he started, motioning to the couple with his free hand. "have found something in this new world that everyone merely dreamed about before. They have found in each other the missing pieces of themselves. They have found the parts that make them whole. As hard as that would have been in a perfect world, I can only imagine how much harder it must have been for the two of them now." He took another short pause.

He turned his attention away from the group and back to the two people standing with him. "Daryl, this woman standing here with you is going to be your wife. She is going to look to you for comfort, for support, for love, for encouragement, for understanding and for protection. With the way things are now, protection has taken on a new meaning for us all, are you prepared to accept this responsibility in all senses of the word?"

Daryl nodded his head, "Until my last breath." His voice was barely above a whisper and they would be surprised if anyone had heard it outside the three of them.

The preacher continued, "Beth, the man standing here with you today is going to be your husband. He will look to you for comfort, support, love, understanding and encouragement. Are you willing to be there to provide all these things for this man?"

"I am." Beth replied, tears flowing freely down her face once again. Daryl reached his hand up to brush the droplets from her cheeks.

If they had been able to draw their eyes away from each other, they would have seen that there wasn't many dry eyes in the audience either.

Father Gabriel continued on, "So as marriage is the covenant, vows are the entrance into that commitment. The first step down the road that they will travel together, for the remainder of their lives." He paused for another short moment before beginning the vows.

"Daryl, do you take Beth to be your wedded wife, to have and behold from this day on for better or worse, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

It took him a minute to gather up his voice enough to speak, "I do."

"Beth, do you take Daryl to be your wedded husband, to have and behold from this day on for better or worse, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do!" she replied with enthusiasm that rivaled Maggie's when she agreed to give her away. She pushed herself up on her toes, brought her hands up to his shoulders and moved in to kiss him.

The preacher cleared his throat, "Uh Beth, I wasn't quiet finished just yet." He smiled.

Her face flushed almost immediately as she dropped back to her feet and brought her hands back down into Daryl's.

Everyone laughed again, it was so refreshing for everyone to see something so _good_, something so happy, as there weren't many moments like this left in their world anymore.

Father Gabriel finished his last few lines, so as not to keep the eager bride waiting. "Until now, Beth and Daryl have spent their lives as separate individuals. From this moment forward and every day after this, every moment will be shared between them as one. Now I don't know how much power I still have invested in me by the state of Georgia, but by the power enthroned to me by God, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

He paused for just another short moment, chuckling a little at the sight of Beth waiting expectantly.

"Oh, right." He started, "You may now kiss your husband Mrs. Dixon." He finished with a smile.

She threw her arms around his neck and stood up as tall as she could, pressing her lips to his with enough force to nearly knock him over. While he would have never done anything like that in front of the whole family before, he couldn't resist. He snaked his hands around her waist, dipping her back just a little, following her lips with his, and never breaking contact.

They stood back up straight, breaking their kiss finally, still wrapped in each other's arms just staring into each other's eyes. This was a moment neither of them would ever forget.

"I love you Mr. Dixon."

"I love you too _**Mrs**_. Dixon."

They both enjoyed the way that sounded. It just sounded so good, so perfect, so _right_.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Again, I feel like I'm apologizing with every chapter at this point. But the good news is I took (and passed) my last final exam for this quarter yesterday. I have no classes for a little over a week now so I should be able to update at least one more time this week.<strong>

**Unfortunately, this story is only going to have one more chapter and then possibly an epilogue. It makes me sad that it is coming to an end because this was my first shot at fan fiction.**

**Anyways, I thank you all for sticking with me with it. Please review and let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions as to what you might like to see in the epilogue. Thank you so much **


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